The TroubleMakers
by Stargategeek
Summary: Helen and Nikola circa 1877, all the little troubles and adventures they got into from the day they met, to the beginnings of the five.
1. Humble Beginnings

AN: My first request, so here goes. This story is sort of a collection of some flashbacks I wrote in my story On The Backs Of Pigeons, just turned into their own little story about the significant moments in the lives of Helen and Nikola. They go in the order i think they would go in, so they might be off, if they are we'll just call it AU or something. Written for Helen.

Chapter 1 – Humble Beginnings

_**~~~~Fall 1877~~~~**_

Nikola Tesla stood by the clear pond by a sweeping willow tree.

The leaves cascaded around him and a light Fall breeze gently pushed them through the air to rest on his shoulder.

Nikola barely noticed the obtruding object sitting on his shoulder as he tore up the stale piece of bread in his hands and scattered the crumbs on to the ground.

A flock of pigeons swarmed around his feet and pecked at the food he had laid out to them. He had saved them the paltry slice of bread from his lunch and delighted to see them enjoying the small snack he scattered for them.

They cooed softly as the swallowed down the dry bread.

He smiled and made a similar noise in return.

He was so engrossed in his activity that he did not notice the bright pair of blue eyes watching him with amusement.

"No fighting, there is enough for everybody," he said to the group of bird at his feet.

At this point she let out a giggle, snapping him out of his little world.

He looked up at the rude interrupter, about to insult whoever in Serbian, when his eyes fell upon long blonde locks and sparkling blue eyes, his heart nearly stopped at the sight of the gorgeous Englishwoman in front of him.

"Sorry to startle you, but I couldn't help but notice you were talking to pigeons," she tried to stifle a giggle.

Nikola stiffened slightly, not enjoying being laughed at, especially by such a gorgeous creature.

"I wasn't I was, voicing my thoughts out loud," he looked away trying to ignore her small giggle.

"You were talking to them, like they were friends, it was adorable," she smiled stepping closer to him.

"Well, people talk to pets all the time, cats, dogs, birds…" he was making excuses left and right now.

"Pigeons? Do you consider them your pets?" she looked up at him.

"Of course not, they're stray birds in the park!" he defended.

"So you consider them friends?" Nikola opened his mouth to speak but he was at a loss for words, her smile had taken them from him.

She giggled again, but no way in mockery, Her laugh wasn't cruel like the fellows at the pub who said something behind his back and laughed, but looked away when he turned around. It wasn't a teasing laugh.

It was just a light laugh, like the twinkling of sunshine; her eyes were bright and blue, blooming with innocence, and her smile was genuine.

"Do you?" she said after a moment.

"Umm, sort of…" he said lamely.

She smiled and took a small piece of the bread in her gloved hand and tossed it into the flock of birds.

"My name is Helen," she said facing him again.

"Uhh, Nikola…Tesla…" he said trying to focus himself.

"I know, you go to Oxford, I've seen you sitting in the back," she crumpled a bit more bread and tossed it into the flurry of birds.

"You're that girl, auditing classes, I've seen you as well, sort of…" to tell the truth he rarely noticed anything out of his little bubble, that's why he didn't recognize her, but it was coming back to him.

"So you do recognize me?" she smiled again.

"Uhhh, sort of…" he said lamely and she giggled her airy giggle again.

"I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable, I just recognized you standing here by yourself and I was curious as to what you were doing, if I'm intruding…"

His brain suddenly kicked in.

"Oh no, I don't mind, Pigeons make for horrible conversationalists as it is," he managed to smile at her.

"If you insist," Helen smiled back and Nikola handed her half of the slice of bread for her to join him.

She accepted it graciously, and thus accepted a silent friendship invitation shared between them both.

When the bread was all gone and the birds had flown away they kept talking.

They walked around the park, comparing notes and ideas on many subjects, even talking about silly things like their goals for the future, and when they had stopped walking they felt like they had been friends for years.

He walked her, like a gentleman, to her home and bid her goodnight, and she asked him to save her a seat for tomorrow's class.

It was the start of a most promising friendship.


	2. Defending a Ladies Honor

Chapter 2 – Defending a Ladies Honor

Nikola silently fumed beside Helen. They walked in step with each other through the grounds at Oxford, his teeth gritted and fists clenched; Helen just as silent as he was.

"Unbelievable," he finally spat.

"It's nothing, Nikola," she said calmly.

"Did you not see how they were acting in there, those pompous, self-righteous, sexist…" he paced, his arms flailing wildly.

Helen smiled lightly at him and sat on the wooden bench. They had only met each other a few weeks ago, yet it felt like they had been childhood friends. He fully supported her right to be educated and become something other than housekeeping baby-making machine. And he despised anyone who said otherwise. Like today.

It was just another scientific lecture, they sat in the back, and Nikola pointed out all the flaws in the Professor's theory and she tried to take as many notes as she could while trying not to giggle.

She had to agree that this particular lecture was quite ridiculous, she hadn't even bothered to remember the subject, but she was attentive, a picture-perfect student. That is, until Nikola made an observation on the Professor's personal life that had set her in a fit of giggles.

Her light laughter had pulled the professor out of his little reverie with the other students, and he proceeded to tell her "Women should be seen, not heard, and certainly not in this classroom."

It was like a starting pistol for Nikola who in an instant deflated the man's credibility as a scientist, and disproved almost every point in the man's lecture.

The other student's amused by the display joined the Professors's side and began taunting him and Helen as the 'outsiders' and that they should "go back to where they came from."

Helen learned a long time ago when to pick her battles, but Nikola kept trying to fight every one.

She was grateful for his support, but she didn't need him to fight for her, that would defeat the purpose.

She looked up at her friend, still pacing. His face contorted with anger.

"It's alright Nikola, there are always going to be narrow minded people, not all of them are as open as you and me, we can't help it," she shrugged.

"Still, it's just so...infuriating!" he sat beside her.

"Why? It wasn't you they were making fun of, not really, you shouldn't be so upset," she put a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Helen, I may not be an Englishman, but I do have a sense of honor, and they have insulted yours," he growled under his breath.

"And you have brought it upon yourself to defend my honor?" she smiled at him.

"In this case, yes, you wouldn't have been so poorly mistreated if I hadn't given them a cause," he took out a handkerchief and wiped is hands compulsively.

"Well, what can you do about it? You can't change the world Nikola, as much as you'd like to believe it," she looked away watching the group of men from the class laughing and joking together heading to the pub nearby.

Nikola saw them too.

"I can't change them, no, but I can make show them that we're a force to be reckoned with," his devious smile curled right in front of her.

"What are you thinking about doing? " she asked with a mix of worry and curiosity.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt anybody…seriously," he stood up and waltzed into the Medical Theatre as casual as if he went in there everyday.

Helen kept her eyes fixed on the door, unsure of what he was up to, but still curious all the same.

He emerged moments later, just as casual, and strolled back to her.

"That was easy," he said to her as he sat next to her again.

"What did you do?" she asked very confused.

"Nothing yet, I just needed to acquire something," he pulled out of his pocket a rubber medical strap.

"What is that for?" she asked, she was even more confused.

"Elasticity, my dear Helen, rubber can be stretched but it will spring back, causing enertia, enough to send a pebble or a small stone flying at great distances, with the right skill, and a good target, it can cause lots of trouble," he smirked wider.

"You're going to throw stones at them. Do you realize how juvenile that is?" she gave him a funny look.

"Juvenile but effective!" he stood up quickly and went to a nearby tree and searched the ground beneath it.

"What are you doing now?" Helen followed him.

"A bow would be very ineffective if it was just a string," Nikola muttered cryptically.

"And soup would be very ineffective without a bowl, what is your point?" Helen quirked an eyebrow at him as he examined a twig then tossed it away.

"Leverage, my dear, leverage!" he exclaimed wildly suddenly and picked up a twig that made a distinct Y shape.

"A slingshot! That is your brilliant plan!" she huffed at him.

"Genius in its simplicity!" he dodged behind a bush and peaked over it.

"This is ridiculous, Nikola!" she followed and he dragged her to kneel behind the bush with him.

"If you want you can take the first shot," he smiled and handed her the homemade slingshot.

She sighed and took it.

"I don't know how!" she sighed exasperated.

"Come on, you've gone hunting before, with your father."

"Yes with a rifle, not with a slingshot!"

"It's the same thing, just a slightly different mechanism."

He came around behind her and covered her gloved hand with his.

"You line up your shot, pull back to just behind the ear and then release!" she let go of the rubber strap and the small stone went flying straight into the rear end of one of the men from that days lecture.

Helen let out a squeal of excitement and hid her face in the crook of Nikola's arm as she laughed.

They ducked behind the bush again.

"I did it!" she laughed out again, still holding on to Nikola.

"Yes, and may I say a very good shot, my dear," he smirked with her.

She bowed slightly in jest.

"Your turn, oh mastermind!" she giggled and he bowed graciously, making her giggle even more. "Where to, my dear? Rear, back, shoulder?"

"Shoulder," said Helen with anticipation, she had to admit, this juvenile game was quite satisfying.

"Piece of cake," muttered Nikola cockily and he aimed the shot and fired, but his target moved just in the nick of time and the pebble went smashing into the pub window.

Helen covered her mouth to stifle another laugh and Nikola scowled.

"Blast it! He moved!" Helen rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, blame the target," she peaked her head over the bush and saw the bartender of the pub come out and yell at the group of men. "Well, it wasn't completely for naught."

Nikola peaked his head over the bush as well and saw the little tiff occur, obviously the bartender thought they had broken his window and was demanding payment, which the men refused.

"I think our work here is done," smirked Nikola.

"Not yet," she grabbed the slingshot and ran to another bush, Nikola followed even more amused.

She eyed the Professor walking through the grounds, his nose in a textbook.

"Helen, you're not serious, the professor?" Nikola whispered afraid of being seen, a childish prank on fellow students was nothing, but on a member of the staff? If they were caught it would be grounds for expulsion.

"Like you said, this is a question of honor and he insulted mine," smirked Helen and she pulled back on the slingshot.

"I've created a monster," Nikola laughed and the pebble hit its mark, sending the Professor's book flying and his head spinning around in confusion.

Helen ducked and grabbed Nikola's arm.

"Run!" she gasped and dragged him away from the crime scene and into the nearby park, when she reached the shade of the big willow tree she collapsed into the grass laughing.

Nikola fell beside her doing the same.

"Well, my dear, that is the last time I take out on a shooting spree," he laughed out.

"It was terribly exhilarating," she sighed contentedly.

"You could've gotten us kicked out of the school!" he laughed, poking her shoulder.

"Yes, but now my vengeance is complete," she said teasingly, sitting up and taking a deep breath as the noonday sun slowly drifted into an orange sky.

"Remind me never to get you angry, Miss Magnus," said Nikola as he sat up beside her and stared at the sun with her.

"I think that would be impossible," said Helen and she rested her head on his shoulder , and they watched the sun slowly set together.


	3. Meeting Father

Chapter 3 – Meeting Father

_**~~~~Winter 1877~~~~**_

Helen dragged Nikola by the hand up the stairs to her home, giggling with excitement.

"Helen, I don't want to do this," grumbled Nikola.

"You have to meet him sometime, besides, he's been curious as to who I've been spending all my time with," Helen's lips curled into a smile.

"Can't you lie, say I'm one of the girls at the crochet club!" whined Nikola.

"I don't crochet Nikola, nor would I lie to my father, you're my friend you have to tell him sometime!" Helen opened the door to the townhouse she and her father shared, it wasn't a mansion but it was big enough for their purpose, besides it was only their temporary home in Oxford, they had a Country home and a flat down in London, both they rented out for money.

Helen dragged Nikola inside and removed her overcoat and the fashionable winter cap on her head.

Nikola stood there awkwardly.

"Take off your coat Nikola, you're a guest, not a convict," Helen said, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Nikola scrunched up his face in a small whine but removed his dark overcoat and hat to appease her.

Helen too the garments from him and placed them in the coat closet.

"Come this way, father is in his study, he's anxious to meet you," Helen smiled and dragged him up the stairwell to the upper rooms. "This is the guest room, my father's chambers and study and the room at the end of the hall is my room."

"Really?" Nikola looked down the hall at the light oak door.

"Probably the only room in the house my father will forbid you from," joked Helen.

"He doesn't trust me alone with you?" teased Nikola back.

"What father trusts any man alone with his daughter?" said Helen teasingly back.

"True, we are scandalous things," smirked Nikola.

She giggled lightly.

"Wait here, I'll go tell him," Nikola nodded nervously as she opened the door to the study and walked in. She kept it open a crack and Nikola peered through it. "Father, do you have a moment?"

She sounded just as nervous as he felt. Nikola was never good with people, especially not fathers. The fathers of daughters were always the most distrustful, especially if you were the friend of said daughters. Nikola was always good friends with ladies, they found him charming and the ones he chose to spend his time with he found pleasantly intelligent, like Helen, except Helen was much more to him than any lady he had ever met. That's why he was particularly nervous about this meeting; so much was riding on her father's first impression of him.

Helen came back to the door and pulled Nikola inside.

"Father, this is Nikola, my friend from Oxford. Nikola, this is my father Dr. Gregory Magnus," Dr. Magnus stood up and offered a gruff hand to the Serbian.

"Nikola, eh?" said the Englishman, "Sounds foreign; Russian?"

"Serbian," said Nikola, giving his hand and shaking.

The pair of them were sizing up each other, like a horse trainer looks at a new stallion, they were looking for clues for each other's faults and weak spots.

"And you're attending Oxford with my Helen?" asked Magnus inquisitively.

"Yes, she's been auditing some of the courses I've been taking, we befriended each other as classmates," answered Nikola strongly, ignoring his impulse to wipe his hands.

"You've been studying together I take it?" Gregory sat back down, keeping his eyes fixed on Nikola.

"Yes, well more like she is helping me study, she's been refused by the college to actually take the exams, which is a crime because she is smarter than more than all those dimwits put together, I think it's shameful she does not get the same chance as they have," Nikola stayed standing, unsure if he should sit down, especially since Magnus hadn't offered.

"You are a very forward thinking man, Mr…"

"Tesla."

"Tesla? Well, not many men are these days," Magnus eyed him suspiciously.

"Societies fault really, women like your daughter are revolutionary, but you know that," Nikola and Gregory held each others gaze for a long moment before Helen broke the silence with a small cough.

"Um…I'm going to go grab some tea," she said and scurried out, leaving Nikola and her father alone.

Nikola restrained himself from cursing in Serbian.

"Now that we're alone Mister Tesla, please sit down," said Magnus, folding his hands in front of him.

Nikola sat down without a word.

"Why did you really befriend my daughter? And save me the smart girl speech, I know how beautifully intelligent my own daughter is," Magnus stood up and went to his liquor cabinet and poured a splash of brandy for the both of them.

He placed the two glasses on the table and gingerly slid Nikola one.

Nikola didn't reach for it, in fact, Nikola hated brandy, it was like drinking lamp oil, and besides this was obviously a test, Gregory was still trying to read him.

"If you want to know the truth I didn't, she befriended me, out of whatever spark of character in me she saw, and I was amazed at her honesty, and after talking with her I realized some of her sparkling qualities, and from then on we just enjoyed each other's company during classes, I guess it was like two outsiders finding each other, really," Nikola said as sincerely as he could, and Gregory must've seen it.

"You're an honest man, aren't you Nikola?" asked Gregory putting down his brandy glass.

"I try to be, yes," said Nikola frankly.

"It'a a rare quality these days, and I trust that Helen is a good judge of character, or she wouldn't have insisted on me meeting you, and I can see the spark of character she must've seen with you."

Nikola felt a small smile curl on his face.

"Thank you, sir."

At that moment Helen walked back in with a tray of tea.

"Drinking brandy already, father, it's barely 2:00!" she said placing the tray on his desk.

"Yes, and apparently alone, your friend hasn't touched his," Gregory gave Nikola a slight wink.

"He's probably just putting aback by the time, he's expecting tea, not brandy!" she smiled lightly at her father.

"I'm sorry, my dear, maybe another time, I'm extremely busy, you kids run along and don't get into too much trouble," he kissed the side of Helen's head as Nikola stood up and bowed graciously before walking stridently out with Helen.

Once she closed the door he fell against the wall letting out an exasperated sigh.

"That went better than I thought it would," said Helen, in an over bubbly tone.

"Yah…" said Nikola, he took out his handkerchief and wiped his face and hands.

"Are you ok?" she said trying to retain a giggle.

"No, not really, that was…very unpleasant…don't make me do it again!" said Nikola, as he let out the nerves he had masterfully held in through the meeting.

"Would you like a drink?" said Helen sympathetically.

"Oh, heavens I would." She giggled and looped her arm with his taking him down the stairs and out to the nearest pub.


	4. Just a Dance

Chapter 4 – Just A Dance

_**~~~~New Years Eve 1877~~~~**_

Nikola guarded the door to the broom closet in the Oxford Science building. He checked his watch absentmindedly and nodded at the few Professors that occasionally walked by. Making sure no one snuck into the room behind him.

"Nikola! This is ridiculous!" came Helen's voice from the other side of the door.

"Can you think of a better idea?" he smirked, leaning against the cheap pine.

"Most normal people go to parties on New Years Eve and…socialize," said Helen.

"Since when have we ever been normal, besides, we are going to a party, our own private party, now hurry up," he could almost sense her discomfort but he knew it was going to be worth it.

"I'm done, just, get in here and help me for a second," he smirked again and slipped inside the tiny room.

He smiled when he saw her, dressed in his clothes.

"My, my Helen, you make a strapping young lad," he grinned even wider and she glared at him.

"Please remind me, what is the point of this?" she gestured to her attire, she was dressed in some very tasteful grey men's trousers, a clean cotton Oxford shirt, a brown vest and grey waistcoat. Aside from the long blonde hair she could've been any man's son.

"You are my cousin visiting from Serbia for the New Years, you're very shy and you don't speak any English, I invited you over to my dorm room for New Year Eve, hold still," Nikola pulled out a strip of something from his pocket and stuck it on her upper lip.

"What the bloody hell is that?" asked Helen, a little freaked out.

"False facial hair, it's ingenious!" he laughed proudly.

"It itches!" she grumbled.

"Well you can remove it once we get to my dorm," he turned her around and twirled her long blonde hair into a bun and securely stuck it underneath a poor boy cap.

"You look fantastic!" he turned her around and clapped with excitement.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, I mean it's your dorm room, it's kind of scandalous," Helen could feel her cheeks redden.

"I promise not to compromise your honor, I am a gentleman!" Nikola raised one of his hands and placed the other one over his heart like he was swearing an oath.

"Yes, and we're just…testing a theory, what can go wrong?" Helen laughed nervously.

"Well we could blow up…" Nikola said and she hit him on the chest.

"That's not funny," she scowled at him and he laughed some more.

"Can we get out of the closet now?" he asked and she sighed.

"Fine, let's get it over with," she handed him all her clothes which he placed in a burlap sack and slung over his shoulder.

They quickly exited out of the building and across the park to the dormitory.

Luckily for them most of the guys were out at the pub setting up for the evenings festivities of drinking, singing, gambling, and more drinking.

The few men still wandering around the dormitories paid no heed to Nikola and his new friend with the badly cut mustache.

They had reached his room precisely at 10:05.

"That was easy," smirked Nikola.

"Yes, quite so," sighed Helen, she walked over to the small bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror letting out a squeak of laughter at the mustache. "I look like I got a shave from a blind barber!"

Nikola laughed.

"Still worked!" he hopped over to his small liquor cabinet as she removed the pesky thing from her lip.

He took out a bottle of champagne he'd been saving for this occasion and poured a glass for both of them. Helen came out of the bathroom, still in her men's attire, but her blonde curls were set free from the cap and her mustache was discarded in the waist basket.

"Do you really think we should be drinking?" she gave him a funny look and he smirked.

"Come one, Helen! What's New Years Eve without a little alcohol, we've gone drinking together many times." He handed her one of the glasses and she eyed it.

"Yes, but never in your dorm room," she eyed him suspiciously and he sighed.

"Do you trust me?" he said sternly.

"Of course," she didn't even hesitate to answer.

"Then drink," he pushed the glass into her hands and she relented, taking it with a roll of her eyes.

She gingerly sipped the sweet liquid then put the glass down.

"Shall we get to work now?" she perked up.

"Oh wait! I want to show you something! Just sit there!" he scurried off to his bed and pulled something from underneath it. It was a small memory chest, made from oak most likely, handcrafted, obviously a family heirloom.

He placed it on the table and perused through it before finding what he wanted and turning away.

Inside were pictures, and bits of things that held significance to him, she lifted up one of the pictures. It was of a young boy, maybe 8 or 10 holding a small infant on his lap, both were smiling.

"Is this you?" she held the picture in front of him. She pointed to the boy.

"No, this is me," he pointed at the infant in the boy's arms.

"Who is the boy that is holding you?" she asked.

"My brother, Dane," he said without emotion.

"You never mentioned you had a brother," she looked at the photo again.

"It's not something I talk about, he died when I was 5," Nikola took another sip of his drink.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"It's ok, just memories, those were good times," he flashed his smile at her again and took her hand.

"Come see this!" he pulled her over to a little device with a crank on it.

"What is it?" she stared at the thing.

He smirked and turned the small crank around and around and the device started to whir and an image came out of it, it seemed almost real, like a small little person, and as he cranked the image started to move, a small simple movement over and over.

"What magic is this?" she laughed incredulously at his.

"Not magic, my dear, science! Electricity, magnets and a sequence of images!" he smiled proudly.

"But that's me!" she cried out with excitement.

"A sequence of images of you, yes," he stopped cranking and the image died.

"That's marvelous!" she clapped her hands.

"That's nothing, Helen, when I'm done here at Oxford I'm going to make that little device look like a child's toy," he grinned at her.

"Child's toy or not, I think it's simply magical," she fixed a stray hair of his.

"Come here," he took her hand and led her to the middle of the room.

"What are you going to show me now," she giggled as he moved away from her and to a small gramophone in the corner of the room. He put on a record a music softly filled the room.

"Nikola, what are you up to?" she eyed him suspiciously as he came back to where she was standing.

"What does it look like? I'm dancing with you," he took her hands gently and she chuckled nervously.

"I thought we were supposed to be working!" she sighed moving slightly with him.

"It's New Years Eve, Helen, we can work every other 364 days of the year! One dance is not going to kill you," he smiled spinning at her.

"You know what dancing leads to," she gave him a look and he chuckled.

"What?" he asked.

"Kissing," she said flatly.

"Oh the horror!" he mocked.

"And we're in your dorm room," she said, again flatly.

"That point has been made quite clear by now," he chuckled, swaying them slightly.

"And you're not to be trusted," she teased.

"Why?" he asked innocently.

"Because you're foreign, and foreign men are tricky," she teased some more letting out a small giggle, he laughed as well.

"I thought you said you trusted me," he pretended to act hurt and she giggled again and kissed his smooth, clean shaven cheek.

"About as much as I trust a fox to guard a hen house," she teased and stopped the dance. "Now we should really get to work."

He smiled at her even more deviously.

"Aww, come on, Helen, it's just one dance," he said sincerely and softly that Helen couldn't help but place her hand back in his and let him sway her to the music coming from the gramophone.

_**~~~~January 1, 1878~~~~**_

Helen woke up with the biggest headache she had ever had in her life, she felt blinked her eyes at the sunlight and groaned, turning around to face away from it.

She was warm and extremely comfortable, so much so that she didn't see the face lying two inches in front of her; not until she hit it, that is.

Helen sat up holding her head painfully.

"Bloody hell," she murmured to herself.

She heard someone mutter something foreign beside her and she looked over seeing Nikola lying next to her.

"Oww…"he grumbled into the pillow.

Helen inhaled sharply.

"Nikola!" she hit his leg and he groaned again.

"Go away!" he muttered.

"Nikola, get up!" she hit his leg again and he lazily sat up.

"What's wrong?" he rubbed his head.

She gestured to them, together in his bed.

He stared at her stupidly.

"Does this not seem wrong to you?" she cried.

He winced at her voice, obviously suffering from the same hangover she had.

"How much did we drink last night?" she rubbed her head.

"Well, I see…1…2…5 bottles of wine on the floor, so assuming that did most of the drinking, probably a lot," he mumbled sleepily.

Helen looked down at the two of them.

They were both fully dressed in the same clothes they were in last night, minus a few undone buttons.

She let out a sigh of relief, while Nikola was still hazy on the whole thing.

"One dance my foot," she glared at him.

"What with the foot?" Nikola blinked at her dumbly and she let out a small laugh.

"My father's going to kill me," she dropped her head in her hand.

"If you think that's bad what do you think he's going to do to me," Nikola leaned his head on her shoulder and she laughed giving him an awkward side hug.

"Well, nothing happened right?" she looked at him for assurance.

"Nothing I remember…"

"Good, and we're going to keep it that way, now get up, you got me in bed the least you can do is buy me breakfast," she shoved him off the bed and he fell to the floor with a thud and she giggled at him.

"I definitely drank more than you," grumbled Nikola as he got up and headed to the bathroom to change.

**_~~~~Author's Notes~~~~_**

Ok i did a little research, and the story was originally set in 1880, but i realized when reading a biography on the real Tesla he went to Budapest in 1881 to work as a Electrical engineer, and that really didn't give me enough time to write the story i wanted to write , and with no specific date on when The Five was actually formed i set it back a few years in 1877, the Five will form 1879, They inject the source blood 1880, they part ways, James going to work for Scotland Yard, Helen and John courting and whatnot, Nigel making it on his own as Invisi-boy, and Nikola trying to make it as an electrical genius all in 1881, Nikola reunites with them 1883, sails to New York 1884, returns at the awful news of John's Jack-ness in 1888, mostly to console his beloved Helen, leaves again, comes back to find Adam Worth 1890, after that adventure leaves for New York, doesn't see Helen till 1942, fakes his death January 7 1943, comes back in Rome 2008! I think this time line makes sense, if i'm off please tell me, i did use wikipedia, but searching through Nikola Tesla's wiki page, Jack The Ripper, and the show's timeline this one makes sense to me, so this is what i'm going with, because if it doesn't coincide with the rest of the history it's going to really bug me.


	5. Science is Science

Chapter 5 – Science is Science

_**~~~~March, 1878~~~~**_

Helen and Nikola sat in the back of the lecture hall, as always.

Helen was taking notes on the lecture, Nikola was discrediting the whole lecture and using a rubber band to shoot chewed up bits of paper at the back of the other student's heads.

The door of the lecture hall opened suddenly and a young man with dark hair and a growing beard entered into the room.

Nikola scoffed, assuming that the man was late.

"Ah, James, come here lad!" said the Professor and the man walked up to the front.

Nikola, fully alert to the new presence sat up straight and paid attention, curious as to the reason the man was there, and why he was greeted so fondly.

"Class this is Dr. James Watson, a growing mind in his field, especially in the field of medical sciences and diagnostics."

The professor beamed proudly at Watson, as if he was his own son, and the rest of the class applauded with appreciation.

"Excuse me, medical sciences?" said Nikola, raising his hand.

The professor's smile instantly faded.

"Is there such a thing?" mocked Nikola.

"I'm sorry, that's just Mr. Tesla, a foreigner, you understand," muttered the Prof to the young man.

"No, it's alright, it's a fair question," said James looking Nikola straight in the eye. "Medical Sciences is a growing profession, with the growing rate of disease and illnesses it's actually becoming quite essential to maintain our way of life."

"Yes, but would you really call it a science?" said Nikola crossing his arms.

"You call alchemy a science, history has proven the links between science and medicine dating back to Ancient Greece! They practically go hand in hand," said James calmly, unflinchingly still and confident.

"Alchemy is alchemy, medicine is medicine, and science is science, sure they benefit one another just like a lion killing a gazelle feeds the hyenas, but you would not call them a pack," Nikola smiled triumphantly and Helen shook her head at him. He was always doing this to guest lecturers, making sure they could back up their claims.

James gave a small half smile.

"Well, there's French cooking and Italian cooking but both use the same spice rack," he said coolly, silencing Nikola.

The rest of the class applauds him and he continues with his lecture.

Helen patted Nikola's arm.

"You can't win them all Nikola," he crossed his arms and pouted, watching the man intently.

Helen sat, quite interested in the subject, she had often heard her father praising the mind of the young Doctor, "revolutionary thinker in the field of medicine" he had proclaimed,

She had even read several of his papers detailing certain antibiotic qualities of certain plants, and his theory of cocaine has a more productive anesthetic than ether or chloroform.

She had to admit he was brilliant; his own collection of self-made medical equipment was simply spellbinding not to mention his demonstration of diagnostics.

He made it seem very much like a science, the way he could read people as if they were an open book, knowing such intimate details just by the way they cut their nails, parted their hair, which direction they stared in when they asked him a question.

Nikola hated him instantly, and with every moment loathed him all the more, especially seeing Helen's captivation with him.

He was a handsome man, well-built, tall, he was educated, English, intelligent, calm, suave, debonair, and he was confident, not cocky, but well founded in his knowledge.

Nikola was charming in his own right, but he was compulsive, and at best arrogant, girls loved him for the way he would swiftly cut down his peers with a quick quip, but any girl would rush away at the sight of James Watson, even Helen.

And boy was it starting to piss him off.

Nikola paid attention the whole lecture, waiting for the perfect opportunity to shove him off his high horse and discredit his logic.

Unfortunately Dr. Watson didn't just seem intelligent, he was intelligent, his theories were well founded, his science was sound, and his math was flawless, until he finally made one unnoticed mistake.

"That's wrong," Nikola said disrupting the class again.

"Excuse me?" asked James.

"That equation, it's wrong, in fact it's a disaster, the formula you've just created is unstable enough to bring down this whole building, you've just killed your patient, your attending nurses, any other patient in a 5 mile radius, and yourself, nice going," said Nikola bitterly.

"And what do you propose is the answer then?" asked Watson, his eyes observing him closely.

"8," said Nikola nonchalantly, as if it were obvious.

"I think that's enough for today, class dismissed!" said the Prof and everyone got up and started to leave, except for James who turned to the blackboard and examined the equation closely.

"I'm sorry James, Tesla is too smart for his own good, he has no respect for this establishment or it's teachings, he's convinced he knows it all, and he does, passes every exam perfect, as if it were grade school work, but he can't stop giving the rest of the class grief," the man ran a hand over his face.

"No, no, it's all right, I've had worse, will you excuse me?" said James politely before jogging out of the room and into the yard, passing by eager students wishing to ask him questions.

"Can you believe that? Medicine is science! Pah!" growled Nikola, Helen walked beside him.

"He made some valid points," said Helen calmly.

"He made a clever remark about a spices, the rest was crap!" Nikola pouted beside her.

"You just don't like him because he actually stood up to you, your just a bully deflated," she giggled.

"And what was with you, making moon eyes at him as if he was the messiah!" accused Nikola.

"I did not!" Helen defended.

"You couldn't take your eyes off him, you hung off his every word, Helen! You were like a kid staring at an illusionist wondering what happened to the bunny!" Nikola teased and she bit back a blush and smacked his shoulder.

"I was just interested that's all, and your deflecting!" she poked him in the chest.

"Well, you're acting like a girl, and I don't like it!" whined Nikola.

Helen laughed at him.

"Excuse me!" said James, finally catching up to the pair.

Nikola rolled his eyes.

"What do you want?" he glared at the man.

"You were right; 8! Solves the whole formula! I didn't see it," said James.

"I'm not surprised, you're a doctor," said Nikola flatly.

James laughed.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot, James Watson, forget the doctor," James held out his hand and Nikola stared in disgust at it.

Helen nudged him from behind and he groaned slightly.

"Nikola Tesla, forget the accent," he took his hand and shook it and compulsively wiped his hand afterwards. "This is my friend, Helen Magnus."

"Magnus, eh? Any relation to Dr. Gregory Magnus?" asked James, shaking her hand as well.

"He's my father," she smiled shaking his hand warmly.

"Fascinating, I'm a big admirer of his work, you must introduce me to him," said James.

"He seems to have quite a fondness for your as well," she smiled back, Nikola rolled his eyes, being ignored by the giggling pair.

"Really? You don't say…but what I really came to say is that I could use your help, Tesla, I may have a ken eye but some of the biggest mysteries are hidden in plain sight, and you're one of the few people I've met who has caught something I've missed, I know you're not a medical man, per say, but you are a scientist nonetheless, I'm sure what I'm working on could use some of your keen logic," James looked sincerely at Nikola.

"Only if Helen joins us, she is the smartest woman I know," in truth he didn't know if he could be alone with the man, without trying to kill him.

"It would be an absolute pleasure," James took Helen's hand and kissed the top of it lightly.

"As it would be for me," Helen smiled.

Nikola pouted some more, not liking the obvious shine the two had taken to each other.

"Meet me at this address, Saturday, I promise you you're in for a treat," he handed a scrap of paper with the address on it to Nikola and he handed it to Helen with a huff.

"Can you believe that pompous bastard?" growled Nikola.

"I thought he was quite charming," Helen said as she stuffed the scrap of paper into her clutch.

"You would," snarked Nikola.

Helen laughed and looped her arm with his pulling him in the direction of the park.

"Let's go feed the pigeons, you like that," she said condescendingly, like he was a child.

He muttered something in Serbian but allowed her to drag him to their spot in the park.


	6. Small Kisses (1)

Chapter 6 – Small Kisses Part One

_**~~~~August 1878~~~~**_

Helen giggled as she felt Nikola's soft hands wrap around her eyes.

"Guess who?" he said in a very bad English accent.

"Hmm, I don't recognize the voice, is it Peter?" she jokd and the hands left her face.

"Very funny," Nikola said in his normal accent.

"Nikola, your English accent is absolutely atrocious, I knew it was you instantly," she teased.

"Well, you ruined the moment, I guess you'll just have to wait till later," he crossed his arms and Helen giggled.

"Wait for what?" she asked, knowing full well what he was talking about.

"Nope, you ruined it so you obviously don't want it," he teased walking to one of the many shelves in her father's library and pretending to peruse through it.

"Aww Nikola, of course I do, stop being such a spoil sport, give it to me!" she giggled and went up to him.

"Why should I?" he teased backing away, causing her to chase him around the massive library.

Her father had recently bought the massive home, selling the townhouse in Oxford and relocating his practice and his home to London. Helen was still attending Oxford though, so he afforded her a decent sized flat near the University and even closer to the man she could only identify as her best friend in the world.

They were inseparable, as if they had been twins taken from birth only to find each other again in the hectic world.

He made her life an adventure in the seemingly short two years they had known each other.

Even James, who had become like a long lost older brother to her, noted their deep friendship as a match made in heaven. In this day and age most respectabke people would have called it very inappropriate relationship between a man and a woman. They were way too intimate with each other in a sense, without courting, or engagement rings, the amount of time they spent with each other was ridiculous, their comfort with each other was unacceptable, and the little touches, looks and secret smiles they shared were wholly inappropriate.

Helen remembered her aunt scolding her at Christmas for attending her party with a man that was not her betrothed and spending the whole evening running about with him.

Helen bit back her remarks, but knew in her heart she had more fun running around with Nikola that evening than she would ever have dancing or socializing with complete strangers.

Nikola may not be the most perfect suitor or gentleman in the world, but he was honest, caring, and more fun than any man she had ever met.

That's why she had dragged him along to London for the summer, knowing she'd have the dullest time without him there.

She laughed as Nikola popped out of nowhere and grabbed her by the waist, scaring her into another fit of giggles.

"I thought I was chasing you," she smirked as he lifted her off the ground and to the small loveseat by the fireplace.

"Yes, but I caught you," he said placing her on the loveseat.

He lost his footing and landed on top of her, making her laugh even more.

"If only my father came in and saw this," she laughed, but not moving him off her lap.

"I'd be dead," Nikola laughed, but not moving either. He sighed in the mass of petticoats around him.

He pulled something from his pocket.

"Happy Birthday Helen," he laughed handing her a small box.

She smiled, wide-eyed at the box.

"Ooh for me?" she grinned at him.

"No, it's for James, I just wanted to know if you'd think he'd like it," he tmocked her and she leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Thank you, Niko," he melted at the touch of her soft lips on his cheek.

"Don't just sit there, open it," he said impatiently.

"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist," she mumbled opening the small box, "Oh Nikola, it's beautiful!"

She lifted up a necklace with a small amulet attached to, it was clear all around until you reached the middle where it was the most brilliant blue.

"Did you make this?" she looked at him.

"Of course," he smiled proudly. "Not a jewelry shop in England that can make something as unique as this; look."

He stood up and took her hand, leading her to the moonlight window of the library.

He held up the amulet to the moon, focusing the moonlight through the blue center till an image, a silhouette, of two people dancing elegantly.

"Oh Nikola, how is that possible?" she stared in awe of the little shadow dancing along the wall.

"Trade secret, my dear," he joked and slipped the beautiful necklace around her neck.

"I love it, it's simply marvelous," she leaned over and kissed his lips softly.

It was not the first time she had kissed him like that. Over the course of the years they had shared many small kisses with each other, on the cheek and hand, on Christmas he held up, as a joke, a piece of mistletoe over their heads and she had laughed and pecked his lips softly.

They were nothing more than kisses; no more than a hug or a welcoming smile between friends.

She twirled in front of him.

"How do I look?" she joked posing with the beautiful necklace.

"Beautiful," he stared in awe. "The necklace goes with your eyes."

He said gently walking to her.

She laughed again and took his hand.

"Where are we going tonight? It is my birthday after all," she pulled him along with her, out of the library and through the expansive mansion.

"Well I refuse to pay a dime for what these people call food, so I had your father's chef cook something really special for the occasion, and after some cake and wine, I have purchased tickets for the theatre, I believe they are performing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night."

She smiled.

"You know how much I love Shakespeare," she said excitedly, and a little giddily.

"Yes, that's why I knew you'd love to go, I have thought of everything!" he grinned smugly.

"Yes you have, it sounds like a perfectly wonderful evening," she smiled.

She let go of his hand and skipped up the massive staircase.

"I'm going to get ready, my outfit is not quite appropriate for a night on the town," he nodded as she escaped upstairs.

Helen got to her room and sat in front of the oak vanity, staring at the necklace Nikola had made for her, it was truly beautiful, just at first glance.

She smiled as she rushed her long blonde hair and pinned it up, she moved across the room and waved over to her handmaiden Estelle, a beautiful young Irish girl.

They were good friends, in fact, Helen considered all her father's staff to be almost family.

"Big night tonight, Miss Magnus?" said Estelle as she came over and undid the many strings of Helen's corset.

"Yes, Nikola is taking me out to the theatre," Helen moved to the closet, Estelle trotting behind.

"I swear Miss Magnus, I have never seen such a relationship between a lady and a gentleman like you and Mr. Tesla, you act as though you've been together for years, no strings or expectations," Helen pulled out a beautiful blue dress and laid it on the bed.

"We are very close friends, Estelle, nothing more," she said, holding still so that Estelle could remove the gown.

"Oh it's more than that, I saw the way you admired that necklace, a gift from him on your birthday, am I right? No man ever purchases jewelry for a woman without love in his heart," said Estelle, pulling away the corset.

"He didn't purchase it, he made it," Helen looked absentmidedly at the beautiful accessory.

"And you fancy him as well," teased Estelle.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helen shook her head.

"I's seens you two together, I has, you two can't keep your eyes off each other, it's like no one in the room exists."

Helen bit her lip thinking about what Estelle was saying. It was true Nikola meant more to her than any other man, except her father of course.

Even tonight on the loveseat, when he was nestled among her petticoats, any other man would have taken advantage of the situation, but Nikola, no, Nikola took it as the perfect opportunity to give her a gift.

It was these small moments that she knew he would be her friend forever.

But was it more than that? She never really thought about it till now, maybe she did fancy him, more than she knew.

She was soon dressed and heading back downstairs to the library where Nikola had set up a tea tray and a plate of square cakes.

He smiled at her when she entered.

"You look stunning," he smiled.

"Oh, ever the gentleman," she teased and he kissed her hand, the gesture suddenly making her knees feel weak.

He had kissed her hand, cheek, and lips a dozen times, why all of he sudden did it affect her now?

He led her over to the loveseat again, this time letting her sit down properly.

He handed her one of the little cakes and she took it, unsure exactly what kind of cake it was.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Serbian cake, Čupavci my mother used to make on special occasions, I know the recipe by heart," he poured her a cup of tea and himself a glass of wine.

"Not too much Nikola, I don't want you to get too inebriated this evening," she teased.

"Not to worry, one glass, I promise," he sipped liquid and munched on one of the cakes as well.

It was a light sponge cake covered with coconut with a custard filling; it was quite enjoyable.

"Are you planning to fatten me up?" she joked and Nikola laughed.

"And do what? Make you into a stew?" he teased back.

"You know cakes are my weakness, hide them before I scarf the whole thing down!" she laughed, compulsively reaching for another one.

"You won't have time!" he laughed covering the plate with a towel. "We have to be at the theatre in a half hour."

He examined the pocket watch attached to his vest.

"Our carriage is waiting," he took her hand and she looped her arm with his and the exited out of the mansion in a flurry of giggles.

(End Of Part One)

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

If you've seen the web series you'll note that Twelfth Night was Helen's favorite play, so I used that to my advantage.

The Serbian cake Čupavci I looked up it's actually labeled as Croatian, but they're the same thing really, I don't know if Nikola's family would've really ate it but give me some credit, half of this story is hypothetical.

I've adjusted my timeline to fit in certain discrepancies. I had to piece it together using the wiki pages for Nikola Tesla and the Jack The Ripper case. John and Helen will not be courting for 8 years now, though something changes in their relationship that changes this awfully cute relationship you see here between Nikola and Helen, I think very realistically.

Also factoring in Sanctuary's mythology, apparently John was sick and Helen injected her blood to prolong his life, so that will play into the story as well, not now obviously, they haven't even met John yet, so why am I telling you this.

And that brings me to James' little project from the last chapter, it's nothing, just a plot point, it was just to serve as a premace to the beginning of the Five, starting with The Three, I really suck at science stuff so I don't really want to write anything scientifical at all, the pain and research I went through just to give a reason for why James was giving a lecture in the first place was bad enough!

Plus, I did not realize James Watson was not a real person, searched forever trying to find the real guys wiki, all I found was a James D Watson molecular biologist, but he didn't fit into the timeline at all! He was born in the early 1900's. I guess I got him confused with James Watts.

Nevermind, but I hope you like this chapter, we're still in the segment of the story focusing on Helen and Nikola's super cute relationship BSB (before source blood) I'm keeping it all pretty innocent. The second part to this chapter is still focusing on her birthday.

As you may have noticed I've established the Dr. Magnus is already developing the first Sanctuary, hence the move to the mansion in London, that is where they are now, the Original Sanctuary. That's where he is.

And I'm hoping to bring in Nikola's obsession with the number three sometimes, it was part of the real Nikola's weirdness, so eventually in the story I hope to bring it in, or at least mention it.

Um ok, I'm done ranting about my evil plans, Read and Review :)


	7. Small Kisses (2)

Chapter 7 – Small Kisses Part Two

Helen was amazed at the box seats Nikola had managed to get them, more so the fact of how he got them, box seats were not cheap, but instead of ruining a perfect evening with a useless question, she held his hand and watched the performance in complete awe.

She had loved Shakespeare on paper, but she loved it even more on stage, the timeless language being brought to life, it was breathtaking, and she kept a firm grip on Nikola's hands, for fear she might get lost in the magic of Shakespeare's words.

He had spent the whole performance looking at her, watching her eyes brighten with ever passing moment; the shear joy of the experience, it was more amazing, more breathtaking than any actor could muster.

He was captivated.

The moment she had grasped his hand his eyes remained fixed on her, and she had not let go, but he did not care, despite his compulsive tendencies he always loved her touches; her kisses.

Nikola had never liked being touched, even when he was a boy he disliked the sensation of being touched; he had made it adamant to be meticulously clean from the moment he could walk. He wasn't germaphobic, per say, he just didn't like the feeling of being unclean, that's why he chose swimming laps as a work out method; why he methodically wiped his hands one finger at a time after shaking someone's hand, and also why he despised handsy girls.

But with Helen, it was all forgotten, 20 years of impulses suddenly gone.

His handkerchief was left forgotten in his left breast pocket as she held his hand through the course of the evening.

When the play had ended she finally released his hand to applaud the marvelous cast of actors with the rest of the crowd, Nikola stood up along with her clapping absently. He had not seen a moment of the play from start to finish, but he was sad it was over.

Helen turned to him when the cast disappeared from the stage and the crowd of people began filing out back to their carriages.

"Wasn't that marvelous? It was brilliant, their depiction, everything!" Helen chattered excitedly, Nikola just smiled, not his usual annoyingly charming smile, a soft smile; ones he reserves just for Helen.

He offered her his arm and she took it happily. They walked back out to the array of carriages.

"So where are we off to now?" she slid into the seat effortlessly, pulling him in beside her.

"Well, it's a beautiful night, and you have a lovely garden," Nikola started and Helen's smile got bigger.

"What are you thinking?" she pondered, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"Bottle of wine under the stars?" he looked at her and she nodded.

"Why not?" she laughed, once again taking his hand in hers.

They reached her fathers estate and the carriage barely had time to stop before Helen was trying to jump out of it.

They ran inside as if the ground were hot coals and she ran up the stairs to grab a blanket while he snuck down to the wine cellar.

They met back at the garden gate, sneaking into the beautiful moonlight garden. It was well kept, and the summer flowers were in bloom. The night was warm, and there was a slight breeze making the trees sway lightly.

There was a big old tree in the corner, its drooping branches hung low, making a small little nook; this was their spot.

They laid down the blanket and lied on their backs staring at the star-filled sky.

"We should've brought a lantern," mumbled Nikola suddenly.

"I think it's much nicer without one," Helen giggled, her shoulder just slightly rubbed against his.

"Yes, but how are we going to find our way back, I don't know about you but I haven't quite grown into my night vision," Nikola teased and Helen's hand found his again.

"This is perfect," Helen sighed, changing the subject.

"It is," Nikola agreed, turning his head took look at her. Her eyes were a lit by the moon, and she had let the pins out of her hair, the blonde curls fell around her face beautifully, he always preferred her hair down.

He resisted the urge to run his hands through the sea of blonde locks, that kind of action would be wholly inappropriate.

"Thank you Nikola, it was a truly wonderful birthday," she looked over to meet his eyes.

"It was nothing, I just wanted you to have fun," he looked away and up at the beautiful moon, shining down on them.

"And I did, it was exactly what I wanted," she smiled softly at him.

"Then you're welcome," he sat up and reached over the wine bottle he had brought. "Oh, dear."

Helen sat up as well and looked over.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"In my haste I forgot to get glasses, we have a perfectly good bottle of marlot and no way to drink it," he laughed slightly at himself.

"Open it, it's just the two of us, we'll drink from the bottle!" she exclaimed and he smiled.

"Doesn't that conflict with your english sensibilities," he teased.

"Just open it," she glared at him and he obliged opening the bottle expertly.

She took the bottle from him and took a long draught from it.

She giggled slightly and handed him the bottle to do the same.

"I never thought I would see the day when the elegant Helen Magnus would drink wine from a bottle like a London trollup," he joked and drank from the bottle just as she did.

"It's my birthday, I'm allowed," she bit back playfully, stealing the bottle from him before he can take another sip from it.

"So you're telling me I'm supposed to expect this behavior every August," he chuckled.

"Do you intend to spend every birthday with me?" she joked, chugging a bit more from the bottle.

Alcohol definitely was not her poison.

"Yes," he said sincerely, looking at her, "Or at least, I very much hope to."

"Do you fancy me then?" she blurted slightly inebriated by the amount of wine she had consumed already.

Nikola didn't answer, unsure if he heard her right.

Helen instantly let it go and handed him the bottle.

She stood up and started to strip off the many layers she was wearing, she was out of them remarkably fast that Nikola nearly choked on the wine when he saw her in only a few layers.

"That's better, I seriously doubt the person who made that thing actually wore it, or she wouldn't have made such a ghastly uncomfortable item," Nikola gulped at the sight of her in nothing but a few layers of cotton fabric, twirling in the moonlight.

"Helen, I think you've had a bit too much," he chuckled nervously, wishing his eyes to stop gazing at her.

"It's just you and me Nikola, no ones going to see," she laughed and skipped over snatching the bottle from him. "No one can bear witness to the trouble we make."

Nikola got up and took the bottle from her hands.

"And that's enough for you, I think next time we'll just stick to tea and cakes," he teased.

"Spoil sport," she giggled and stole the bottle, running through the gardens in her bare feet. Nikola sighed and chased after her.

He turned a corner in the maze and she caught him by the waist, like he had done to her in the library earlier.

"Got you," she giggled.

She started unbuttoning his jacket pushing the heavy material off his shoulder.

"Helen, what are you doing?" he asked, tensing slightly at the abrupt action.

"You are horribly over dressed for this occasion Nikola," she smiled dropping his jacket on the ground and unbuttoning his vest.

"I think I'm dressed fine enough, thank you," Nikola mumbled uncomfortably.

She released the last button of his vest and looked up at him.

"There," she took his vest by the sides and tugged her to him in a light, slightly drunken kiss.

His eyes widened in shock when his lips collided with hers in the brief but breathtaking kiss.

Before his brain could comprehend the event, Helen took his hand and dragged him out of the maze, back to the blanket

She twirled him making him lose his footing landing on the grass near the blanket and she landed on him in a fit of giggles.

Nikola became hyper-aware of their position.

"My Helen, you're awfully forward," he managed to choke out in his dizzy haze, kind of wishing he had the bottle now.

"It's the wine," she said, resting her head on his chest, her hand trailing to his neck and resting there, Nikola kept rigid like a floorboard, unsure of what to do.

"I don't doubt it," he smirked slightly.

She giggled and rolled him over so he was atop her, a very compromised position to say the least, if her father were to come out and see this he would have them chastised, she in her under things, him with his hair all messed, she drunk and free as a jailbird.

Nikola's eyes trailed down to her lips, gazing at them, they were highlighted by the moonlight, everywhere she turned, it seemed the moonlight hit her perfectly.

She rested her hands on his sides.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she whispered, only loud enough so that he could hear.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it," he said, looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

"Then do it," she said, not challenging him or daring him, just opening the door for him to share in something they both secretly wanted.

He wordlessly leaned in and placed a light kiss to her lips, it was sweet and tender, almost hesitant, as if afraid that any moment he would wake up and he'd be alone.

She kissed him back, just as gently. A sweet, simple kiss, but it meant a whole lot more to them than a dozen big kisses, even harlots got strong passionate kisses, but this kiss was perfect. A perfect small kiss.

Nikola's hand trailed down her side deftly, outlining the shape of her curve, while Helen's hands gently cupped his face.

They kiss was broken by a tiny acorn landing squarely on Nikola's head, making Helen erupt into a fit of giggles.

Nikola rolled off her and rubbed the spot on his head where the nut had landed.

"Apparently you have some very conservative squirrels," he mumbled and Helen sighed snuggling in beside him.

"They're probably working for y father," she joked, her eyes slipping closed. In less than a minute she had fallen asleep next Nikola, her head pinning his arm down.

Nikola smiled at how peacefully she slept, and she stroked back some of her blonde curls and placed a small kiss on the side of her cheek.

"Goodnight Helen," he whispered, he reached over with his free arm and covered them with the blanket. He nestled his head amongst her hair and sighed deeply letting sleep over take him.

The next morning Helen found herself, lying half-naked in the arms of her best friend, who was still sound asleep.

A smile adorned her face and she snuggled in closer, a slightly foggy memory of last night in her head.

She was pulled out of this comfortable place by a cough and she sprung out of his arms, causing him to jolt awake too, his cowlick sticking up.

Helen held the blanket close as her eyes came across the one man she feared would be there.

"Helen?" Gregory Magnus stood examining the scene before him. He had come out for a brisk early morning stroll, only to find his one and only daughter, his pride and joy, lying precariously in her under garments with a man.

He knew his daughter well enough to know she would tell him the truth, his daughter had brought a wealth of bizarre circumstances into his life and had learned long ago not to jump to conclusions, especially with Helen and her Mr. Tesla.

What might look scandalous to most people, usually ended up being terribly innocent with them, nevertheless he stood there, eyeing them sternly.

Nikola snapped into alert mode seeing Gregory Magnus standing in front of them.

"Ahh," he shifted away from Helen quickly, "This isn't what it looks like, sir."

"I sure hope it doesn't," said Gregory, a hint of humor in his voice, only detectable to Helen. "Otherwise I'd have to pull out my rifle."

Nikola gulped nervously, looking over at Helen.

"It's nothing, just the affects of wine and good spirits, father, Nikola was a perfect gentleman, I assure you," she wrapped the blanket around herself.

Dr. Magnus studied them carefully before sighing.

"You two are a heap of trouble," he shook his head and strode away leaving Helen and Nikola to clean up the mess they had made.

Helen laughed.

"That's the last time I drink a whole bottle of wine on my birthday," she covered her face to hide a small blush.

"Agreed, you plus wine, plus fresh night air, not a good idea," he teased and Helen smoothed down the wild cowlick at the top of his head.

"I didn't do anything too embarrassing did I?" she asked shyly.

"Well you tried to take my clothes off, but that failed so you resorted to dancing in your bare feet until you collapsed, on me, falling dead asleep so that I couldn't move myself to a less scandalous position," Helen giggled and got up, collecting her abandoned dress.

"You were a gentleman, right?" she teased.

"Helen, I am nothing if not a gentleman," she giggled and headed to house while Nikola went off in search of his jacket.

She obviously didn't remember the kiss, and he saw it fit not to bring it up, it was just a kiss caused by alcohol and adrenaline, nothing more.

Just a small kiss…that she'll never remember.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

A sweet little moment for them, I had to get Helen drunk to do it, but I kind of played it that she is, at least slightly aware of it. Both of them are too stubborn to admit they're feelings for each other, I know, soo very Jane Austen, but hey, Jane's men were usually socially awkward secret romantics like Nikola, and Helen does have a Pride and Prejudice feel to her.

Anyway, I hope this chapter makes sense, cause I am totally sleep deprived at this point. I really wanted to write a moment like this for them, because Nikola had to have more of a reason to love her endlessly for over a century, I think this colors it quite nicely.

Read and Review :)


	8. Love Doth Changeth

Chapter 8 – Love Doth Changeth

_**~~~~Fall 1878~~~~**_

Helen smoothed down the layers of her skirt, as she listened to Nikola ramble on about the Physics lecture they had just endured.

They were sitting outside in the small park near the University, under the shade of their willow tree.

"Could you believe that pompous, indignant prude, he has never seen an atom in his life and he acts like he knows the world, half his math was a mess, not to mention his suit…" Nikola's accented voice broke into her thoughts again and she giggled.

"You say that about every lecture," she looked over at him and smiled.

"Does not mean it is not true!" Nikola growled defensively and Helen just laughed more.

"One day it will be you up there, and you'll do it right," Helen patted his hand encouragingly.

"Not on my life, I would not waste my time teaching brainless asses my craft! I want to make a difference, not make a curriculum!" Nikola sneered and wrapped his long fingers over hers.

Helen squeezed his hand affectionately, sheloved the way he got fired up about the weirdest things. In fact there were very few things she didn't love about her best friend of almost two years. He was smart, adventurous, neurotical, compulsive, egotistical, intelligent, sweet, gentlemanly, caring, and loving. He was a complete contradiction of himself, and these qualities grew to excite her even more.

Her maid called it a crush, which was ridiculous; she was certainly to intelligent to crush…though she had to admit, there were several signs that there was more than just friendship between them

She had denied to Nikola remembering the night of her birthday as a drunken escapade, and he had admitted he was foggy on the whole event as well, but she had so enjoyed the feeling of waking up in his arms, the tenderness of how he wrapped his arms around her, either to keep her warm or to protect her.

And the kiss, it was like fire! Pure and hot to the touch; she found herself daydreaming about his lips on her skin much more than a proper lady should.

"Do you think we spend too much time together, Nikola?" she asked, without warning.

"What makes you say that?" asked Nikola, staring into her beautiful blue eyes.

"My aunt said it's improper for a lady to spend so much time with a man who is not her betrothed, or courting her," said Helen, she brushed a curly blonde lock out of her face.

"Helen, you are a fully grown woman who has the right to make company with any one she pleases, be it a man or a woman," said Nikola casually, he leaned on one of his elbows and picked at some grass.

"Even in a man's dormitory?" Helen giggled teasingly.

"Let them think what they will Helen, we know the truth, if they are so bored with their lives they must resort to making vile gossip about any thing out of their normal social convention, I say Fie to them, may they choke on their tea and scones of distaste!" Helen giggled at Nikola's over-dramaticism.

She stroked the small thin line of a mustache growing on his upper lip.

"You never believe in social convention," she chorkled lightly in her throat and got up and tossed a flower into the small pond.

"Neither do you, and that's why I like you," said Nikola following her and skipping a stone across the water's surface.

"You like me?" asked Helen, her voice teasing, but her heart skipped a beat in anticipation of his answer.

"You don't just think I talk with you because of your brains?" Nikola joked and Helen sighed.

"Of course not, I just find it hard to believe you like something other than yourself," she teased back giggling when he grabbed for her hand.

They were always playing like this; he always managed to make her feel like she was 8 years old again.

She ran, giggling and taunting, him chasing, saying something in his Serbian tongue.

She looked behind her, not seeing the stone in front of her and she suddenly lost her footing.

Nikola reached out to catch her but lost his balance and the two of them went tumbling down the small knoll, her body landing on his at the bottom.

They stayed like that together for a moment, letting the ridiculous moment wash over them, laughing out their embarrassment.

"Are you ok?" asked Nikola, he breathed in deeply to catch his breath.

"Yes, I'm fine, I may have twisted my ankle, but that's because my knight in shining armor failed to catch me!" she teased.

"Not my fault you've been having too many scones with your breakfast tea!" Nikola teased back and Helen laughed.

She looked at him, staring into his blue-grey eyes.

This was the part in one of her mother's old novels where the heroine and her fated love would share a passionate embrace.

The setting was perfect, the beautiful fall day warmed around them, their tree was nearby, and the sun's glare off the pond highlighted her blonde hair, and there was no one around to witness their moment.

She leaned in slightly, hesitantly, unsure if she should take the opportunity.

She sighed and blew caution to the wind, if this moment was meant to be than she would not let it pass. Not again.

She leaned in again; ready to kiss Nikola's soft lips, to experience a moment she had dreamed of, more than she was willing to admit, with him.

"Excuse me, is everything alright?" a voice shook her back into reality.

She moved to sit up, letting Nikola scramble from under her.

"I saw the fall, I was afraid someone might be hurt," a tall man came bounding down the hill, his dark brown hair blowing in the wind. "I have a doctorate, are there any injuries?"

"My ankle may be sprained, but nothing too serious," said Helen, admiring the man. He was indeed very tall, many inches taller than Nikola, not that Nikola was a very tall man. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a pocket-watch hung from his waistcoat.

"Do you mind if I examine it?" he asked gently, his deep, rich voice rumbling in her ears.

"I'm sure she is fine, I caught her on the way down," said Nikola kneeling beside her.

"Are you her fiancé?" asked the man.

"No he's not," answered Helen.

"I am just a friend," Nikola glared at the man.

The man knelt down and placed his hands gently on her leg and removed her boot carefully.

"Well, I think you're right, just a simple sprain, you should get home and ice it immediately though," he smiled kindly at her.

"Thank you, I'm Helen, Helen Magnus," she offered her hand to the kind stranger. "And this is my friend Nikola Tesla, I'm afraid we were horsing around a bit."

She smiled in return.

"I've heard of you two, Oxford's resident troublemakers," he laughed lightly. "Not a day goes by down at the pub when I don't hear another story of the infamous Lady Magnus giving her teachers grief, and her little friend chewing out the speakers in the lecture hall."

"With good reason," muttered Nikola.

"May I say it's a pleasure," the man took her hand and shook it lightly.

"And what may I call my gracious healer?" Helen giggled lightly again, not noticing Nikola's scowl behind her.

"The name's Druitt, Montague John Druitt."

Helen smiled at the well-educated gentleman.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Druitt, it was so kind of you to care for me," he flashed her a gentle grin in return.

"Anything for a beautiful lady,' he bowed his head graciously," he helped her to her feet and she leaned on him, keeping her foot elevated. "May I offer you a ride home?"

"It's not necessary, I just live across the park," she pointed in the direction of her flat.

"Then you must let me escort you home," Nikola glared even more sourly at the man, his hands balling into fists.

"Well, if you insist," she looked back at Nikola. "I'll see you later then, Nikola."

She giggled as John helped her down the path to her home while Nikola stood, steadfastly, watching them leave. He seethed, shooting daggers with his eyes to the back of the man's head.

Nikola hated him instantly.


	9. Tea and Scones

Chapter 9 – Tea And Scones

_**~~~~October 1878~~~~**_

Nikola sat in the library of Oxford alone, flipping through a Physics textbook, almost mind-numbingly. He didn't need to read the page, he knew everything backwards and forwards, nor did he really want to read it. His eyes stared of into space as his hand just went into auto-mode, and kept turning the pages one by one.

It had been 4 weeks since that afternoon when Helen had been rescued so admirably by the handsome Montague Druitt, pah! He wanted to laugh. He was tall, well-built, and meagerly acceptable in appearance, but the way Helen went on about him he may as well have been Hercules prancing around on Pegasus. It grinded his gears. He hadn't spent a moment a Helen in the last few weeks where she hadn't been ranting, _"Druitt this, John that; he's so kind and sweet and generous - yaddy-yaddy-yah - who knows what would've happened if he hadn't showed up and helped…"_

Nikola clenched his fist. For one thing he wouldn't be sitting here by himself while Helen went off and galavanted with her new friend and his chums.

Nikola missed her terribly; he wouldn't deny it to himself, to her maybe, but to himself…no.

When had this school become so accepting of her presence, more and more of the gentleman at Oxford were starting to notice her, and soon she was spending time with them.

Nikola was left forgotten again; the outsider again.

He finally put the book down, and jumped in his seat when he saw Helen sitting across from him, with the slightest hint of a smile caressing her lips.

"My god, Helen, how long have you been there?" he coughed awkwardly and fiddled with the three books he had sitting out in front of him.

"Not long, I didn't want to disturb you, you looked very deep in thought," she said softly, leaning over to put her hand on his.

"I-I wasn't, just flitting through some books to pass the time, you should've said something," he stopped fiddling with the books and he pulled out his handkerchief and compulsively wiped his hands.

"I was just with John and…"

Nikola groaned audibly and rolled his eyes.

"I could've guessed, you're always with the Montague these days, it's like he's your best friend now! I don't care how kind and generous, or sweet, he is, he's not the centre of the earth!" Nikola stood up and took his books with him, Helen followed, a small frown gracing her features.

"Nikola, that's ridiculous, you're the closest friend I have, you know that, there are things we've shared that don't even compare to what I've done with John," he put the books away on the same shelf and he picked three more off the next one, not even glancing at their covers.

"And when you're not with John, you're up to your ears in beakers and test vials with James, or discussing Chemistry with that little chump…the one with the, uh, sideburns; Nester," Nikola walked to the third table in the long row of tables and sat down haughtily, flipping open a book and pretending to read it.

"Nigel, Nikola, his name is Nigel, he's a friend of James, you would like his ideas too if you would stop feeling sorry for yourself," she crossed her arms at him watching him disdainfully as he pretended to ignore her.

She didn't know what his problem was, she had invited him to come out with her, John, James, and Nigel many times, but he had candidly refused and said he was busy working on a project.

She smiled slightly, watching him, and the smile curved into a devious grin and she went up to him and wrapped her long arms around his neck, effectively making him drop his gaze from the book and sigh.

"You're not jealous, are you, Mister Tesla?" she said slyly, leaning her on his shoulder.

"Me? Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I am more genius than the three of them combined!" She was wearing the necklace he had given her and he eyed it as it swung from her neck near his ear.

She played with the small mustache on his lip.

"You are jealous! You want me all for yourself!" she giggled, and he tensed slightly. "Aw, Nikola, have I been neglecting you?"

She teased him and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Maybe a little, I have been feeling slightly ignored as of late, but I'm not jealous…just a little, you know, lonely."

She giggled again and stole his book from his hand and placing it delicately on the table.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention," she took his hand. "How can I possibly make it up to you?"

Nikola smiled slightly.

"I can think of a few ways," he joked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Nikola! Don' be crude or I'll leave you in the library again," she tapped him on the chest lightly and he gave her a grin.

"Come now, Helen, you know I would never disgrace your honor like that, I am much too fond of you for that," she giggled at his words and pulled him out of the library and outside.

They walked though the park, just like old times, teasing, running, giggling, not having a care in the world.

They reached her flat across the park.

"Come up, I'll make us some tea," she opened the door and he entered into her very tasteful apartment.

It had a small kitchen and a pantry, a bedroom and master bathroom, a smaller bedroom and an even smaller guest bathroom, and a lovely sitting area.

Helen had chosen this place to live, not just because it was close to the University, but it was also closer to the school dormitory, where Nikola was staying, for now.

Nigel also lived in the dormitories a floor below Nikola. Nikola lived on the third floor in Room 303, he always had, in fact he was adamant about that particular room.

Helen sat Nikola down on the beautiful settee, which he did, rather hesitantly.

"Do you have something stronger than tea?" he asked, a glint of a tease in his eye.

"No, you are not permitted to drink in this apartment, every time we drink together we end up falling asleep together, what would my landlady say?" Helen joked.

"That I am very handsome," he joked back.

Helen laughed as she went into the kitchen.

"Well my neighbor already thinks I am the local harlot by all the men I bring up here, she thinks you're my most frequent customer," Helen said with a laugh and Nikola laughed with her.

"That's ridiculous, a harlot could never afford a place as nice as this, she probably thinks you're my mistress, or concubine or something," he laughed as she brought in a small tray of scones and set them on the small table.

"Now that's just silly," she shook her head and sat beside him. "We are much too indiscreet to be secret lovers."

"Who knows, maybe we can be indiscreet because I have no wife," he shrugs.

"Now you are just speaking nonsense," Helen laughed.

"The whole thing is nonsense, you are not even a fragment of the word harlot, and I am far from being a client, or a lecherous unfaithful, people just don't understand us, so they make excuses to seem above us," he entwined his fingers with hers. "Point is: we shouldn't care."

Helen smiled softly at him.

"I've missed you," she giggled and placed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Have you?" he raised an eyebrow and she leaned her head on his chest and embraced him in a small hug.

"I'd almost forgotten how much fun you are," she giggled against his chest.

"Now, Helen, I'm insulted," he smirked.

"How could you forget something as important as that," he reached over and tickled her senselessly. She slid down the couch trying to squirm away from his long teasing fingers at her sides, he laughter coming out in howls as he found her most sensitively ticklish area.

As she kicked her petticoats went flying and she could barely see him through the tears and lace about her, but she could still feel his fingers moving rapidly over her sides.

He stopped tickling her, and she breathed heavily, still letting out her small chuckles as she fought to catch her breath. He was semi-lying on top of her, his hands resting on her sides and his eyes locked with hers.

She smiled, still panting, enjoying the comfort of having him close to her again.

It was like that moment in the park before Druitt had so rudely interrupted it.

Helen, once again, thought about kissing him, like on her birthday, Nikola thought the same and he leaned down hesitantly towards her, his eyes darting to her lips, he was so close, she could feel his warm breath just grace her chin.

She wanted to reach up and pull him towards her, his tentativeness was killing her with anticipation. He leaned in closer, his lips just touching her, so softly it would be hard to be counted as a kiss.

Suddenly a loud whistling came from the kitchen, snapping them out of their trance.

"Oh, the tea," Helen said pushing Nikola away from her, and he sat up silently, letting her run into the kitchen to fetch the tea.

He was so close; so close to confirming what he wanted, more than his goals of electric mastery; to know that Helen would truly be his closest, closer than anybody, friend forever. But the tea had ruined everything…tea always ruins everything…

Helen reached the kitchen and took the kettle off the wood stove and poured the hot water into the pot. She stopped and sighed, taking a moment from, well, whatever just happened, she couldn't really tell. He was going to kiss her, it seemed like that, or had she been dreaming? Or was it just one of those small meaningless kisses they gave each other?

She couldn't tell, and she wasn't, it wasn't important right now, compared to her friendship with Nikola, the fact whether it was a real kiss or just a kiss was elementary; as James often put it.

Helen took out the tea on a tray with two cups, sugar, cream, and napkins.

Nikola was absentmindedly picking at a scone as she set the tea tray and sat next to him again.

"Well, it's not wine, but it's perfectly adequate for drinking," she poured the tea into one of the cups and added sugar and cream before handing it to him. "Here you are, just as you like it, completely vulgarized by sugar."

He chuckled.

"It's the only way I can choke it down!" he took the tea and sipped it, cringing at it slightly. "Adequate for drinking my foot."

It was her turn to chuckle.

"Stop complaining," she teased and he gave her a funny look but drank the vulgar liquid anyway.

They drank the rest of their tea in companionable silence, secretly agreeing to forget the instance before and move on.

They were silent till Helen broke it by discussing an interesting chemical process Nigel had explained to her, Nikola listened intently, criticizing the theory with good humor, and in a moment both their minds were far away from what had happened on minutes before and they spent the rest of the afternoon like they had spent many such afternoons together, till she remembered she had accepted an invitation to join John and the others for a drink.

This time Nikola accepted her request to join them.

**_~~~~Author's notes~~~~_**

Notice the threes :P another cute chapter. I know...so aggravatingly close! But sorry, this is not trying to be AU, though if anyone wishes to take something i've written and expand on it, or fix it to suit their fantasies (wink wink) be my guest! I can only bring them soo close together before it becomes too unrealistic, this maybe be the last cute tender almost kiss moment. As i've hinted the fun with the Five is coming just around the riverbend, so still cute moments between the, but very unlikely they will get this close again.

I hope i'm not writing it too OOC, they'll probably act more like normal once the five is created and then Helen will stop giggling soo much!

And Nikola does have his mustache, but only slightly, it's not the full beast it is like in Sanctuary flashbacks, it's just a small mustache, but i think it would look very sexy on him, kind of like one of the three musketeers kind of look, except he's not french...anyways...Read and Review.

If you'd like to expand on something i've written just write me and say hey, making it AU, no big...or something...sorry i'm high of throat losenges right now...


	10. The Five of Science

Chapter 10 – The Five Of Science

_**~~~~ Winter 1878~~~~**_

Helen sat on the sofa in her father's study; book in hand, a cup of tea next to her.

The fire crackled in the fireplace keeping the December chill at bay.

She was back in London in her father's massive house, why her father felt the need to buy such an enormous place was beyond her, it wasn't for wealth, her father never cared about a single dime, he only used it to improve his work, and occasionally to help her in her endeavors. The mansion was also no for the prospect of grandchildren, Gregory Magnus figured a long time ago that there was a chance his daughter would never marry and have children, and he had accepted it.

When she had asked him the reason for the seemingly useless and overpriced purchase of a home too large for a family of two, he answered: "It's for my work."

His work was cryptic enough. But she had learned to call it home, and found many treasures about it she enjoyed. It had a beautiful garden for one thing, beautiful rooms, and a library she could get lost for days in.

Her favorite treasure though, happened to be sitting behind her fiddling with a piece of string.

She patted the top of his head.

"How's the untangling coming along?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"How does such a thing get into such horrendous knots!" cried Nikola.

"It's string, getting into knots is kind of it's job," she laughed running her hand through his hair, messing it up then smoothing it back down.

"Yes, but it makes it virtually useless for my purposes!" he growled.

"Why don't you just get a new piece of string, Nikola?" asked James from his little corner in the study.

"This was my new piece of string! I kind of, set fire to the last one…" Nikola fiddled more with the piece of string.

"You are a walking safety hazard Tesla," John walked in holding a teapot. He went over and filled Helen's cup before sitting next to her.

She smiled appreciatively at him.

"It's not my fault half the things in this house are flammable, most of the tapestries are fake knock-offs.

Helen laughed.

"Doesn't matter, my father still expects you to replace the one you destroyed," she rubbed his head again and he gave up on the string tossing it away from him.

"If it was a real Medievil tapestry it wouldn't have gone up like a tissue," he pouted and reached over for his wine glass and sipped from it.

"You still set it on fire," she laughed.

"Nigel was half responsible! He was the one that said "Hey, let's combine these two highly flammable chemicals together to see if we can make a stable compound that can clean windows!" Why isn't he getting charged with the damages?"

"It's wasn't to clean windows, it was to remove rust! And you were the one who put too much in! More is less, he said!" defended Nigel.

"Do you two need another time out?" said James. He stood up from his chair, returning a book to a small bookshelf in the study, and he walked over to the teapot resting on the table in front of John and Helen, refilling his own cup.

Nikola glared at him, choosing not to answer his question.

Helen sighed, these men had become like family to her, that's why she dragged them to London for Christmas. John and Nikola came happily; Nikola had gotten used to spending Christmas with her, he barely needed and invitation. James had a lecture to attend not to far from London so he agreed to spend a few days at the mansion. Nigel wanted to go visit his sister in Norfolk, but a horrible storm reported the roads to and from Norfolk were closed.

She got her whole group of friends over for the holidays, filling the almost always empty home with laughter, music, love, and the occasional explosion.

James and Gregory had hit it off almost immediately, Helen joked that James was the son her father never had. John and her father got along as well; the two of them discussed medical procedures at length over port on some nights.

Even Nigel to a certain extent got along with her father, both sharing an interest in chemistry and other curious topics.

Gregory glared at Nikola though, Helen had laughed, they were still at odds with each other since the summer. I guess he suspected that Nikola was sneaking her into quiet rooms and shoving his hand up her dress. Gregory showed more disdain or Nikola since he burnt down one of his tapestries, spilt wine on the Turkish rug, ate the last scone, and scared the cat.

It still was all-in-all a fantastic Christmas with all her new found friends. They had become like a group over the last few months, all scientific and curious, they had many good times together, and with Gregory.

Gregory had called them to his study that night, and only Helen knew why, she found it hard to keep it from them; they had been sleeping at the time.

She found it especially hard to keep the secret from Nikola, the one she shared everything with. He had found a hidden passageway last summer, connecting a certain guest room to her bedroom, naturally he now always claimed that room as his own so they could sneak over and talk at nights when either one of them couldn't sleep. Sometimes they'd fall asleep talking with each other, and he'd leave before her maids entered in the morning.

Many things they talked about were secrets; secret hopes, secret dreams…or Nikola would make finger puppets on the wall.

These nightly visits were quite frequent, and not just by Nikola, she had snuck into his room at the dead of night some evenings too.

It was sneaky and childish, but that's what they were.

Gregory finally entered into the study, as authoritative as a tenured Oxford Professor, but as graceful as a skilled ballroom dancer.

"Good evening," he said accepting a glass of brandy from James who went to sit down by a big chair near the fire as Gregory made his way around the furniture to stand in front of the fireplace.

"What's this all about?" asked James inquisitively.

"I'm going to let you all in on a little project I'm working on."

Nikola stood up from his chair to stand behind Helen, curious to know why.

"That's not like you Magnus, I thought all your work was so secret not even Helen was privy to it, why the change?" Nikola asked, being as snarky as ever.

"Nikola, don't be an ass," Helen giggled slightly and pushed him to sit on the armrest beside her.

"This particular project requires 5 adventurous beings as yourselves, willing to push boundaries, break rules, and face danger if necessary," Nigel smirked smugly.

"I assure you we're flattered Gregory, don't leave us hanging," coaxed James gently.

"Yes, well, what I'm about to show you, may change the way you view your life indefinitely, and you're all strong, intelligent, capable men who I think can handle it, even you Nikola," said Gregory, finishing his glass.

Nikola gave him a sardonic smile and crossed his arms.

"One bloody tapestry and I'm the incompetent one!" muttered Nikola to Helen.

"Come with me gentlemen, Helen!" They all got up from there respective seats, except for Nikola. Helen grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

Gregory led the five of them through a hidden door and down a very dark staircase, led by candlelight.

He looked into some device protruding out of the wall, which Nikola paid special attention to, until the door unlocked.

"Hold on to your wits lads, this is nothing you've ever seen before," said Gregory and Nikola stared at Helen.

Her eyes were wide with excitement as the other men entered into the room.

Nikola passed by the door and stopped to look at the curious device on the front of it, more fascinated by that then any of the real wonders.

"Oh my," said James, looking at Gregory with marvel, "quite the project my good man."

"I'll say, it's like a zoo blew up," muttered Nigel.

There were cages and cages of strange creatures big and small.

"What is this Gregory?" asked John, his eyes widening to the size of Helen's.

Nikola looked up from the door.

"Huh-wha?" he stared stunned at the marvel of creatures. "You make these yourself Magnus?"

"Nope, these are God's own, I've just made a safe harbor for them," Gregory pulled them further into the room. "There are many, many more out there, and they need help, for ages they've kept themselves in the dark or in hiding, unwilling and too afraid to come into the light of knowledge for fear they will be slaughtered, and some of them have, some don't even know what's wrong with them, I've made it my prerogative to find them, and help them, but I can not do it alone. With Helen's excellent medical skills, James' observational skills, Nigel's handiwork with chemicals and concoctions, John's strength of character and Nikola's way with animals, we'll make a good team."

James steps up and clasps Gregory's hand.

"I am with you Gregory, I would not miss this for the world," he looked around, stilled dumbfounded by the mass of creatures.

"Me too, Magnus, this is fantastic!" said Nigel, a big smile across his face.

John looked over at Helen then back at Gregory.

"You can count on me," he said with a slight smile, bowing his head gracefully.

"Out of all my plethora of skills he chooses animal loving, that's just great," Nikola scoffed and everyone looked in his direction, mostly glaring.

"Nikola, please," said Helen.

"Of course, but I can do more than cuddle chipmunks," he stepped up to Gregory and firmly grasped his hand.

"Oh I'm sure some of your other talents may become of use in the future," Gregory said unwavering.

"Wait, does this mean we have to leave Oxford?" asked Nigel.

"No, just be ready when I need you," said Gregory, "My five, hands on deck."

They all smile and nod.

Nikola looked at Helen, she was smiling proudly at all of them but her gaze fell upon his momentarily and he smiled, slightly to himself.

"You must all keep this secret to the grave, tell no one what you saw, or about what you're going to see, from this day on, you are members of my sanctuary, the five of science!"

Gregory bowed and took his leave, leaving the five of them.

"The five of science?" Nikola raised an eyebrow.

"I think it's catchy, The Five, makes us sound like a team," said Nigel.

"We are a team now, a team dedicated to expanding our knowledge of the world around us, starting with these creatures," Helen smiled stretching out her hand.

"It's certainly an intriguing inquisition, I'm up for a challenge," said James putting his hand on top of hers.

Nigel nodded and placed his hand on top of James', so did John.

Nikola stared at them for a moment, mostly at Helen, looking for something, wordlessly.

"Come on man, are you going to join us, or are you not," said James.

Helen looked at him, tying to read what he was thinking.

He finally sighed.

"I always love an adventure, who knows all the trouble we could get into," he smiled at Helen and put his hand, gingerly on the top.

"Then it's settled, the five of us against the world."

~~~~Authors Notes~~~~

Sorry if this chapter felt sort of like Fellowship of the ring, I tried, I really tried not to make it cheesy but what can you do. Don't ask me what the string is about, I just wanted Nikola to be playing with a random piece of string.

I promise there will be no more chapters like this one, you can just hear the awe inspirational choir music in this chapter. Again, I'm sorry.

I'm playing on this notion that the only reason Nikola joined the Five was because of Helen, I don't know how, maybe he saw it as his chance to get super close to her, or something, but it makes sense.

Read and Review.


	11. Big Ben Caper

Chapter 11 – Big Ben Caper

_**~~~~New Years Eve 1878~~~~**_

"This is insane!" huffed Nikola as Helen dragged him through the dark streets of London.

"You knew what you were getting into when you joined."

He sighed.

"I was expecting lab work, theories, exploring a whole different genetic make-up then our own, you know science, doing your father's grunt work and running all over London trying to capture some creature who is attacking innocent partiers, no! I wasn't expecting that! This is not how normal people spend New Years!"

"Since when have we ever been normal," she laughed.

He huffed again and admired her outfit.

She was wearing trousers and high leather boots, her hair was pulled back with a tie, and she had a hunting rifle resting on her hip as she searched the area for the creature.

He had to admit he enjoyed the view.

She waved him to follow her and he did so, a similar rifle in his own hand, but instead of bullets that were filled with darts that are tipped with a special poison, one of Nigel's little ideas. He had tested it on Nikola; he was out for a day.

"There he is!" Helen aimed her rifle at a moving shadow but it ducked down the street and Helen chased after it.

Since learning of the existence of these creatures, which Gregory called abnormals, they had been learning a wealth from the collection of creature Magnus kept in the basement of his home.

This was the first time Gregory had sent them out to find one.

James, John, and Nigel were close by chasing the creature just like Helen and Nikola, they were hoping to corner it.

Helen ran fast to catch up with the creature, her heart beating fast as she turned the corner, she stopped and Nikola nearly ran into her.

She saw where the creature was heading, the clock tower.

Helen groaned.

"We need to get up there," she looked at Nikola.

"Just show me to the door," he smirked and they raced as fast as they could to get to the tower.

He picked the lock on the door and he and Helen snuck in.

The inside of the tower was pitch black, till Nikola managed to find a lantern and light it.

He held it precariously in front of him with Helen a step behind him.

They heard a screech up above them and Helen saw the creature swing on to one of the bells, causing it to chime loudly.

Helen covered her ears as the loud sound filled the tower.

Nikola covered one ear and moved to a flight of stairs snaking up the length of the tower and he moved up them swiftly, pulling Helen along with him.

It finally jumped off the bell and a sound of shattering glass was heard faintly.

"Where'd it go?" growled Nikola as he reached the landing walking around the bells.

"He can't have gone far. There's only one flight of stairs in this place," said Helen, keeping a hand on Nikola's arm.

Helen saw the hole in the clock face that the creature must've crawled out of; it was twice her size.

"Nikola, I think I know where he is," she pointed at the hole.

Nikola moved towards it and peeked his head out of it, the wind blowing the hairs of is mustache rapidly.

"I don't see him!"

"Nikola watch out!" Helen cried as the creature swung down from the rafters and kicked Nikola out of the tower.

Helen shot at the creature and it shook its head and ran out of the hole.

She ran towards the hole and peeked out to see, praying Nikola was still alive, moisture brimmed her eyes.

She instantly let out a sigh of relief when she saw Nikola hanging by the scaffolding around the clock face.

"Nikola! Are you alright?" she looked around for anything to hoist him to safety.

"I've been better! Now may be a bad time to tell you, but I'm not all too fond of heights…not so much heights really…as falling from them…let me up!" she tried not to giggle at his strained and panicky voice.

"Just give me a moment, I'm looking for something to pull you up with!" he let out another strained cry.

Helen found a piece of abandoned wood and used it to hook the rope of the scaffolding and pull it to her.

The scaffolding was used for those who cleaned the face of the clock, suspended from the top, a job that only truly poor people chose to do because of it's danger.

It was no more than a plank of strong wood held up by two long pieces of rope.

Nikola lifted himself to sit on the plank of wood and he gripped tightly on to the rope.

Helen used the piece of wood she found as leverage to pull him up.

"Almost there Nikola!" she shouted, earning a strained grunt from him.

Suddenly she heard another crash behind her and she dropped the piece of wood, and Nikola along with it.

"What the bloody hell is going on up there?" cried Nikola.

Helen moved slowly, backing away from the creature stalking up behind her, her hands grasped the sides of the hole in the clock face.

Nikola stared wide-eyed up at them, as the hand on the clock moved so slightly, causing the rope to shake slightly.

"Helen, what are you doing?" he yelled, unsure of what was happening, but a slow sinking feeling stooped into his gut.

He eyed the monstrous clock. Then took out his own small pocket watch. It was nearly midnight, and that was not good.

Helen reached for her rifle carefully, eyeing the creature as she did so; she was terrified, she couldn't think of a moment in her life when she had ever been so scared.

She aimed lazily, not wanting to tip the creature off.

Nikola slid on to his belly on the plank and reached downwards to grasp on to the hands of the monstrous clock. He had no idea what he was doing, but he straddled the massive clock hand and looked up.

Helen breathed carefully as she slowly raised the muzzle of her rifle towards the creature, the creature growling slightly.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," Helen said soothingly, like a horse whisperer.

It bared its fangs.

Helen kept her finger on the trigger, still cooing softly to the creature, this was really Nikola's expertise, calming animals, but she'd learned a few things from watching him. Not like he was in any place to do it himself.

She finally pulled the trigger, the shot landing in the creature's chest.

It roared and lunged for her, and she ducked out of the way shooting another shot into it's back, and then anther one, it slowly stumbled and lost it's balance, falling out of the whole and down to the cold London streets below, smashing the scaffold along with it.

Helen gasped for air and went to check on Nikola, who was glad he had moved out of the way, but not glad because he couldn't move back.

"Nikola!"

"Yah!"

"Hold on!"

She looked around desperately for something, a rope, anything that could get him off the clock face and to safety.

"Really? Because i…I would've never thought of that…I just thought if anything goes wrong I'll suddenly spread wings and fly to the ground, but you have opened my eyes!" he said sarcastically, he was definitely panicking.

"Just hold on!" she cried.

"What do you think I'm going to do, tap dance?" he cried back.

She sighs in relief when she finds a rope.

"Ok, I've got something!" she ran to the edge.

"Great, just watch out for the-"

The hand he was clutching to jerked, making him let out a squeak and hold on tighter and suddenly the whole tower shook as the bells rang the hour.

Helen, surprised by the sudden event lost her footing on the edge and came screaming downwards.

Nikola acted fast and grabbed her hand, holding for dear life.

"I really don't like heights!" she screamed, her breath coming out in hard strained pants.

"I've got you!" Nikola's breath was just as strained as hers and he pulled her up to straddle the hand of the clock with her. He wrapped a hand around her waist and held him to her tightly. She leaned even closer to him.

"If we get out of this, drinks on me!" he said, trying to keep the humor light, despite the frightening circumstances.

"If we get out of this I might just kiss you!" Helen said, laughing weakly.

"What's stopping you now?" he joked.

Helen looked up at him and kissed the corner of his mouth lightly.

"Just in case," she winked at him and he held her even tighter.

"Helen! Nikola!" they looked up and saw James and John staring down at them.

"James! John! Oh thank god!" she laughed.

"How'd you get down there?" asked John.

"Well I thought I haven't had a really good death-defying experience yet so I made it my new years resolution!" said Nikola, rolling his eyes.

"He fell!" clarified Helen. "Then I did!"

"We'll have you up soon, don't worry!" said James as he unraveled a rope from his bag.

"Why would we possibly worry, we're just hanging of the London bloody Clock Tower!" Nikola calmed down when he felt Helen's hand wrap around his.

"Happy New Years Nikola," she said soothingly, and she let out a small giggle.

"Next year, can we just stay home?" he said like a child and she nodded.

"By all means," she laughed and hugged him as the rest of the team lowered the rope to bring them to safety.

When they got back to the mansion dead monster in hand, Helen and Nikola shared a bottle of wine and passed out by the fire place


	12. A Truly Fascinating Pigeon

Chapter 12 – A Truly Fascinating Pigeon

_**~~~~Spring 1880~~~~**_

Helen walked into her father's study, excited to welcome him home from his long trip.

He was unloading his briefcase full of his medical journals and tools.

"How was it?" she asked, not even announcing herself.

"Like any trip, rainy, dismal, long boat trip, I'm just happy to be home," he said smiling at his lovely daughter.

"Please you say that about every trip, but every trip you bring home something fascinating," she put her small hand on top of his.

"Yes, and I think I've found the most valuable of them all this time," he smiled, the genius brain spinning behind his eyes.

"I knew it," she smiled, kissing his cheek.

"What did you do while I was away?" he looked at her.

"Ever since you showed me this new life I've found myself less and less in my studies at school, and more working with James on studying those beautiful things," she smiled whimsically.

"You mean Tesla, I know you do, he's always hanging on your every whim," Gregory looked at his daughter knowingly and she blushed slightly.

"Well, Nikola is not all too interested in abnormals as much as he is on their powers, the science, but yes, we do spend a lot of time together, but as do we all, we're a team," she looked down.

"Yes, you all have your talents; I'm sure young Druitt would one day make an excellent surgeon, James is a brilliant mind, and that short little runt Nigel has his skills as well, though I'm convinced it's leading to a life of cat burgling," Gregory chuckled and poured himself a brandy. "But Tesla…"

"What's wrong with him?" Helen put her hands on her hips.

"He rubs me the wrong way is all, something in that stare of his makes me think he's got more on his mind than a career and a family," Gregory drank his brandy and Helen rolled her eyes.

"It's Nikola, all he ever thinks about is his inventions, you know that," Helen was tired of having this conversation.

"I'm only being cautious," Gregory sighed.

"Well it's uncalled for, Nikola is a good man and a close friend, I trust him completely-"

"That's what worries me," Gregory interrupted her and she bit her lip angrily, holding her tongue.

"Is that all you have to say?" she said bitterly.

"No, I have something to show you…and your team," said Gregory. "I presume they're not far behind you."

"Of course, James and Nigel are in the lab, John is in the study, and Nikola is on the roof," Helen gave him an exasperated look.

"What the devil is he up there for?" Gregory quirked an eyebrow.

"Drawing a pigeon that had roosted up there last time I looked," she said coldly.

"Have them meet me here in an hour, I'll think you'll all be very interested in what I have to show you, even Mr. Tesla," he dismissed her and she walked out briskly, her cheeks burning hot and her fists slightly clenched.

She loved her father, but sometimes he was downright intolerable.

Helen called on her friends and told them about her father's request to meet them in his study, before she made her way to the roof. Nikola was perched precariously on the edge, sketchbook in hand, one leg up, which he used as an easel for his sketches, the other dangling over the side.

"If you fall, I don't promise to catch you," she joked, breaking the silence.

"We Serbians have a great aptitude for balance, like cats, we never fall," said Nikola smugly.

"Said the man who dangled from a clock tower," she chuckled.

"That was different, I was pushed," he stated flatly.

"So, if I did this…" she pushed him, causing his arms to flail rapidly. She reached out and grabbed him by his vest and pulled him to her.

"That is not funny, Helen!" he said shakily, his arms holding her desperately.

Helen giggled and pecked his cheek.

"That's what you think," she played with his roused cowlick.

"Do you want to give me a heart attack before I've reached thirty!" he glared at her.

"Depends what you'd leave me in your will," she joked,

"At this point you'll get my pen, and that's it!" he scowled at her and she giggled some more.

"Oh, I know I mean more to you than a silly pen!" Helen laughed, and stole his sketchpad from him.

Nikola froze temporarily, his gaze traveling downward, Helen had her back to him as she flitted through his sketchpad.

"Of course you do, you're my friend, I'd leave the pen to John," Helen laughed and examined his drawing.

"It's beautiful Nikola, you should do one of me," she smiled and handed the sketchpad back to him.

"I'm not that good," Nikola said bashfully.

"No you are, and I will make you one day," she warned him.

"What are you thinking? One of those charcoal drawing of you sprawled out on a loveseat…in the nude?" he smirked deviously and Helen hit him playfully.

"Nikola! Don't be bawdy, I am much too sensible for that kind of thing," she laughed.

"Oh, I think nude drawings are the peak of class, nothing speaks ladylike more than skin and breasts," he reached out two fingers to stroke her shoulder and she giggled again.

"If my father heard you talking like that he'd remove you from this house by the hairy caterpillar on your lip!" she chuckled.

"Oh come on Helen, we're alone, he'll never suspect anything on the roof! Live a little! It's the only way I'll draw you," he smirked and she sighed.

"You're serious, aren't you?" she looked at him and he smiled back.

"Of course, it will be very tasteful, I promise, and I won't look anywhere ungentlemanly," he put his hand on his heart as if swearing an oath.

"Alright, but I'm only posing long enough for you to get an outline, you'll have to fill in the details on your own," she went over to the door and wedged a piece of wood under it, in case someone walked in.

Nikola nodded and returned to his perch on the roof's edge, he found a clean sheet to work on and he studied his charcoal for imperfections.

When he looked up his eyes fell upon gorgeous creamy skin and long blonde curls.

His eyes were fixed on her as she wrapped her shawl around her to cover her dignity.

"Where would you like me?" she said softly.

He gulped slightly.

"Uhh, here..um…like that…is fine," he got up and tentatively moved towards her, his hands gently touched her body as he positioned her head. Though she was as naked as the day she arrived on this earth, despite the shawl, she had covered her most private regions, almost expertly.

Her long curls were let down, covering her breasts with their length, and the shawl surely covered the rest, leaving little for Nikola to see, but it was more than he had ever dreamed.

He moved to stand behind her, a part of him yearning to wrap her small, beautiful form in his arms, kiss her milky shoulders, bury his hands in her blonde curls, but he hadn't the courage to reach out and take her.

"Hurry up, it's cold!" said Helen, a small giggle escaping her throat.

"Just making sure you are in the right position," he said moving away and back to his sketchpad.

"We don't have a lot of time so be quick!" she said, keeping her head still.

"Don't rush the artist!" he snided back.

She chuckled nervously as he began to sketch.

"Are you done yet?" she asked after a few short minutes.

"Shh!" he hissed in response

"Nikola! I'm freezing!" she whined.

"I'm almost done, don't soil your knickers," he said casually.

"What knickers? I'm stark bloody naked, Nikola!"

He lifted his head and smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Hold still," a few minutes passed. "There!"

Helen let out a sigh of relief and moved towards him.

"Finally! Let me see!" she said excitedly.

"Oh no! You don't get to see it till it's done!" he said holding the sketchpad away from her grasping fingers.

"Oh come on, I nearly froze my bloody ass off for your lewd fantasies, the least you can repay me is to let me see the work in progress!" she jumped for it, but blushed slightly when she remembered that she was still horribly underdressed.

"Nope, you'll just have to wait," he smiled.

"Fine, help me get back into my clothes, since you somehow got me out of them," she huffed.

"A magician never reveals his secrets," he joked.

"Just help before one of the maidservants comes up and sees!" she barked and he strode over to her, leering at her.

"With pleasure," he said, a mysterious hint in his voice.

She pulled her layers of petticoats and material over her hips, Nikola watched the delicious sight hungrily.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch or our you actually going to help?" she growled at him, annoyed at how difficult he was being.

"Not if you're going to be like that, I might as well just sit down and enjoy your struggle," he said pestulantly.

Helen turned to him, frowning, then leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Please," she asked, giving him cute eyes.

He deflated and let out a breath.

"Fine, if you'll stop looking at me like that, is that how you got your father to send you to Oxford?" he joked.

"Mostly," she shrugged letting out a small laugh and he tied up the straps on the back of her dress.

"There you are, a respectable lady once again, though since you rushed me we might have to do another session," he smiled cheekily.

"Not on your life," she chuckled, "Now move it, my father is expecting us shortly, something important."

"If I have to spend another night trekking through a sewer for a bog monster I will shoot him," said Nikola, raising his finger pointedly.

Helen laughed and pulled him with her down to her father's study.

The rest of them were there, and patiently waiting for them to arrive, James was in small conversation with Gregory and John and Nigel were talking in their own corner. All stared at them as they entered.

"What took you so long, it's nearly a quarter past the hour," said Gregory, taking out his pocket watch.

"It was Nikola, he refused to leave until he had finished drawing," said Helen straight, Nikola smiling slight. It was not exactly a lie.

"Really? Drawing a pigeon? Must've been one fascinating pigeon, my dear man," said Gregory in half mockery.

"A truly fascinating pigeon, I promise you," Nikola said with a smile and he sat down on the settee.

"Now that you're all here I can show you what I've brought back," Gregory opened his kit and pulled out a vial of what looked like blood.

"What is that?" asked James.

"This is the key, my friends, to abnormal life…it belonged to a race called Sanguine Vampiris…"

"Vampires?" said James.

"Indeed, been reading up I see my good man," Gregory smiled at James.

James nodded.

"They're kind was made sterile and nearly wiped out by the church centuries ago, this is all that remains, I believe it was extracted before the species was sterilized, and it's rumored to contain amazing properties, unfortunately I am heading out soon, for Mecha, a small excursion to a 300 year old tomb, said to contain a abnormal in stasis, so my contact says."

Helen sighed, she was always upset when he left on these excursions.

Gregory looked at her apologetically.

"I leave the source blood in your hands, I believe the properties of it may crack the foundations of science."

"Why not just inject it into one of your homemade goons and see what happens?" said Nikola disbelievingly.

"It's too dangerous, this blood is powerful, not Vitamin C!" growled Gregory Magnus.

"Then how can we test it?" interjected Nigel.

"That's for you as a team to discover, now I really must be on my way, my boat leaves this evening," Gregory made his way past the small group and Helen followed.

"But you just got back!"

"I know my darling, and I'm sorry, but this find could be another breakthrough of science, it cannot wait," He pecked her cheek and walked out briskly to his carriage, leaving Helen in his wake.

Nikola came up behind her and put her hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Helen just glared at the spot where her father had stood.

"Good riddance," she huffed.

"Helen, as much as I am not too fond of the man myself, he is your father, and I know you don't mean that," he said softly.

She turned to him and hugged him tightly.

"I just want my father back," she mumbled into his chest.

"You've got us, James, Nigel, John, and me…you've always got me," he said almost quietly.

"It's not the same," she released him and strode away.

He watched her leave, visibly deflated by what she had said.

Helen sat before the fireplace in her room, pictures of her parents, and her father holding her as a child splayed out in front of her.

She heard something at the door and looked just in time to see something slipped under the crack.

She ignored it for a moment, but her curiosity triumphed her stubbornness.

It was a sheet of sketch paper flipped upside down and she reached down and picked it up.

It was the sketch of her Nikola had made on the roof earlier that evening, she sighed staring at it.

This was either Nikola's idea of a joke or through some sick twisted logic he thinks that a semi-nude drawing of her would actually be comforting to her right now.

She didn't want to look at it, she wanted to forget about it, her own frustrations taking prominence over the simple gesture. She walked over to the fireplace and tossed the drawing into the flames.

She wanted to forget about it, so she did.

Not realizing the door was opened a crack, a certain pair of blue-grey eyes watching behind it.


	13. An Endless Cycle

Chapter 13 – An Endless Cycle

_**~~~~Winter 1880~~~~**_

Helen read the telegram in her hand, her father was leaving Mecha on his way home, his search there had found nothing, but she had the distinct feeling he'd end up back there again, looking under every stone, behind every bush for something to confirm his beliefs, it's what her father did.

He went off trying to solve all the mysteries of the world using clues from his many books. Every question about abnormals he wanted answered. Then he would bring back his finding to her and her team, her boys, and they would test his theories, study his monsters.

It was a cycle, an endless cycle.

But she was excited for his return, she and James had made much progress on the blood he had brought back to them before he had left on his excursion, in fact, upon his return she was going to propose an experiment, a highly risky experiment, but James, John, Nigel, and Nikola had agreed with her it was worth the risk.

Well, Nikola had made some sort of grunted reply, she just assumed he was on board with it, he hadn't really talked to her since the night her father left all those months ago. He's so sensitive sometimes.

Nowadays she found if she needed some company John was there, cup of tea in hand, genteel and kind as always. They spent many afternoons walking through the gardens, or sharing a cup of tea in the study. Much more tame than the trouble she and Nikola had gotten into, but he was growing ever distant.

No more late night visits to her rooms, no more running around the house setting things on fire, accidentally of course, he was either at his workbench tinkering at something, or up on the roof doing god knows what.

She missed him terribly.

Helen sighed and folded the telegram back into her pocket and leaned back on the settee.

"That is the third time I've seen you pull out that note and stare at it as if it held the meaning of life," said James, who was sitting in an armchair beside the couch.

"It's nothing that significant, just my father," she sighed again.

"He should be arriving shortly, are you nervous?" asked James, he was so brotherly sometimes.

"No, just wondering how long he will stay this time before he runs off to Paraguay to search for the lost treasure of the Mayan King, that will curse whoever touches it, or something bloody awful like that," she sipped her tea and cringed as it was cold.

"Helen, that's not fair, it's his work, it will one day change the entire world," Jams put a hand on her shoulder gently.

"I know, I just wish he'd stick around long enough to be a father before he went off on his adventures," she patted his hand gratefully.

"You never know, he could very well stay," Helen smiled at her friend and stood up to make another fresh pot of tea.

She made it to the kitchen and she heard a small crash from behind the kitchen door.

"Not again," she muttered, rolling her eyes, it was not the first time one of the abnormals had gotten out, it was probably Fluffy raiding the pantry again.

She opened the door ready for whatever but came face to face with a startled Nikola, trying to pick up a broken dish.

"Nikola, what are you doing?" she asked, and he dropped whatever piece of the dish he was holding.

"Uh, nothing, it's nothing!" he defended, using his foot to push the broken shards out of sight.

"Are you breaking my china again?" she glared at him and he looked away.

"No, not the china, per say," he said cryptically.

Helen rolled her eyes and came up to him, pushing him away and looking at the broken pieces.

"My fathers vase, you bastard, that was an antique!" she glared at him and he backed away.

"It was an accident, I promise, it just shattered!" he said, he kept his hands behind his back.

"Everything seems to shatter in your hands," she sighed.

"Oh, that's nice," he sneered at her.

Helen started picking up the pieces of the vase but noticed that some of the pieces had blood on them.

She looked at Nikola.

"Nikola, show me your hands," she stood up.

"What? Why? There's nothing wrong, I assure you they're fine!"he said, keeping his hands behind his back.

"Show me your hands," she ordered putting her hands on her hips.

He sighed and relented, showing her his hands; the left one had many cuts on them, and was running red with his blood.

"Nikola! You could be infected give me your hand!" she grabbed it and examined the cuts.

"They're fine, it's just a flesh wound, nothing severe, stop mothering me!" he whined as she sat him down and took out an emergency med kit. Ever since Nikola came into her life she insisted that every room in the house had one.

"Stop your whining while I patch you up," she mumbled and he huffed.

He winced when she poured alcohol on the cuts and swabbed them clean.

"Gah! You're just as bad as a doctor as your father!" he cried, she smiled and shook her head.

"What were you doing with the vase?" she asked.

"An experiment, nothing spectacular," he shrugged.

"You were drawing it weren't you?" she giggled.

"Fine, yes!" he huffed and Helen laughed.

"You really are an atrocious liar, Nikola," she sighed and started to bandage his hand.

"And you are an atrocious nurse!" he scowled.

"You are just a big baby, stop moving!" she put her hand on his forearm and he stilled. "So, I think James and I have finally created a workable serum from the blood."

Nikola looked at her and sighed, allowing himself to indulge her.

"Really? So soon," he said sarcastically.

"All our tests give good results, if it's supposed to do what we think it does it could do wonders, I'm sure of it!"

"What did it do to the bunnies?" he asked.

"Mostly mutate them into hideous forms which soon died out, but that was before, the last one we tested seems to be holding, I think it's promising."

"Seriously Helen, why bunnies? If you want to experiment on some brainless creature do it on John," he muttered.

"Your compassion is astonishing," she glared at him.

"So now that you've perfected it, what are you going to do?" he changed the subject.

"I want to run human tests, I want to see if it will work," she said straightly.

"I doubt your father will agree with you using human guinea pigs for this Helen," Nikola said.

"That's why I won't, I'm going to test it on myself, it's my idea, I should do it," said Helen.

"Helen-"

"We all agreed on it, Nikola, once I perfected the serum, the whole plan was to use it for science, we can only learn so much from bunnies, James, John, and Nigel are on board, this is the whole reason for the Five, to push the boundaries of science, how are we supposed to do that if we back down from the first challenge that is presented to us."

Nikola sighed and took her hand, kissing the top of it lightly.

"All I was going to say is that…when the time comes…I want to be the one to do it, I don't trust anyone else with that needle," he looked at her seriously.

"You want to inject me with the serum?" she looked at him incredulously.

"I've known you long enough to know I can't convince you otherwise, but I can be there in case something goes wrong," his gaze didn't leave hers and she nodded.

"Alright," she ran a hand through his slick hair.

"Helen!" John burst in and Helen's hand immediately dropped to her side.

"Yes, John," she said turning to him, Nikola let go of her hand and stood up.

"Your father has returned, he's in his study," she nodded and stood up, leaving the kitchen briskly leaving the two men alone with each other.

Nikola glared at John.

"Hurt yourself, old fellow?" asked John, acknowledging Nikola's bandaged hand.

"Just a small cut," Nikola glared at him.

"I know you care for Helen, you are more than obvious old chap, but be wary, you are not the only one vying for her affections," said John with a hint of a smile.

"I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about," snarled Nikola, pushing past him to get to the door.

"I've seen the way you look at her when you think no one is watching, but you are foolish if you think she returns those feelings, she thinks of you as a brother, a twin separated at birth," smirked John, following swiftly behind Nikola.

"What makes you think she thinks any differently of you? She probably thinks of you as a cousin," Nikola spat bitterly.

"A cousin is much different than a brother, a lot of people have married their cousins," snided John.

"A lot of those people are sick in the head, are you sick, John?" Nikola turned around and glared at him. "Whatever trick you are trying to play John it won't work on me, my feelings toward Helen are none of your business, neither is the feeling she reciprocates to me."

John just smiled deviously.

"I think we're late for the meeting my good man," he said and pushed past Nikola, heading to the study.

Nikola followed suit, his eyes never leaving the back of John's head till they reached the study.

He quietly snuck in and stayed in the back, pretending to be occupied with pouring himself a glass of wine.

Helen and James were obviously in the middle of explaining the experiment to her father, Nigel was sitting nearby, watching intently.

"Well, who's going to administer it?" asked Gregory, staring at his daughter.

"Nikola said he would," she said looking back at him; Nikola lifted his head, seeing all the eyes in the room staring at him.

"Really?" said Gregory with an air of disdain.

"Helen, I could do it, I do have more experience with this," said James and Nikola scoffed.

"You are no more qualified than I am, James, you just have a PHD to make you seem more so," Nikola sneered and walked up to the group.

"Don't be like that, Nikola, he's only trying to help," interjected Nigel.

"Yes, well it's futile, I said I would do it and I won't back down from it now," Nikola removed his handkerchief and wiped his hand compulsively.

"And I'm not asking him to, it's my experiment, my decision!" said Helen.

"I see," said Gregory calmly; he was eyeing Nikola with suspicion.

"We've all agreed to this experiment, if it works we will all be injected, but if it doesn't I will not have one of them take the fall for it, this is why you gave me the blood!" she said and Gregory looked at her.

"I agree, Helen, I'm just covering all the bases," he said putting his hand on hers; she nodded silently. "Leave us, gentlemen, for a moment."

They all nodded and excused themselves politely, Nikola lingered for a moment before bowing and following the rest of them out.

Gregory turned to Helen sternly.

"Are you sleeping with him?" he asked pointedly and Helen was admonished at his words.

"What are you talking about?" she gasped.

"Tesla, are you sleeping with him?" he said.

"I won't dignify that question with an answer, he is my friend and that is all!" she yanked her hand out of his and moved to exit the room.

"You chose him to administer the serum, and it's not because of his impeccable doctoring skills, it's something else, tell me the truth, Helen, or I will insist we do not proceed with this experiment," he looked at her with a glint of concern and she exhaled a sigh.

"I trust him, out of all of them I trust him the most with my safety, he has been nothing but a good friend all these years, I'm sorry if he's not the perfect son like James, or the sweet gentleman like John, but he's who I want near me if something goes wrong, is that so hard to understand?"

Gregory came up and took her hand and kissed it.

"Of course not, I'm just being a father, is all, trying to protect my daughter from harm," he embraced her and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Nikola would never do anything to harm me, if you've learnt anything about the man you would know that," she said softly.

"I know, I'm sorry," he kissed her cheek gently, "I can't stay for the experiment I'm afraid, but I know you're in good hands, I'm making a small trip to Cambridge, an artifact auction, I should be back in three days."

"Then we'll wait," she said.

"Now Helen, you know you don't need me, you have your boys, and I know you won't be able to sit on this for three days, I'll return and you can show me your findings then."

Helen nodded and released him from the embrace.

"I promise, soon we'll be able to spend more time together," he caressed her cheek and picked up his bags and left his study, and her.

Helen felt a presence in the room with her and she sighed.

"Not now, Nikola," she said with defeat, she hadn't the patience for his antics.

"Close, but not quite," said John, a small laugh in his voice.

"I just want to be alone, John," she said sitting down on the settee.

"Why did you think I was Nikola?" he asked gently.

"Nikola always tries to console me when my father leaves, I just assumed…" she shrugged and John came up to her with a tray of tea.

"No, he excused himself and made his way to the roof as usual, I just came in to give you some tea, James said you left to refill the pot but never came back," he placed the tray in front of her.

"I was detained, Nikola had cut himself, as usual," she sighed and patted John's hand in appreciation for the tea. "Thank you."

"I know you've already made up your mind about the experiment, but I must ask that you let me be the first."

"No, I won't let any of you come to harm because of this, it must be me."

"Then will you at least permit me to be next to you when it happens, in case something goes wrong?" he asked gently and Helen smiled.

"Of course," she leaned over and kissed his cheek lightly.

He silently nodded and left her with the tea, as per her request, a smile just cresting his lips as he made his way through the halls of the Magnus Mansion.


	14. December Sickness (1)

Chapter 14 – December Sickness Part 1

_**~~~~ December 18 1880~~~~**_

Helen sat frustrated, taking notes. It had been a week since she and the others had injected the serum, and some results had been instantaneous, like Nigel's, upon injection he flashed in and out of invisibility. It had been a marvelous sight. James had found out in almost an hour that the source blood had opened his mind, John was doubtful that it had anything to do with the source blood, but he proved it by reading a book on advanced biology in less than 5 minutes.

John himself took more than a few days to realize his power, but when they were hunting down a creature he nearly teleported himself into the Thames.

But it was almost a week and she felt as normal as ever, it was like nothing had changed at all, and she was frustrated about that. She refused to believe she was immune to such miraculous things, there had to be a reason.

James assured her that her gift would come to light in the most unexpected way, in that way the source blood was elegant.

She sighed.

At least she wasn't the only one; Nikola himself hadn't shown much progress physiologically. In that way she had some comfort.

Though she had seen less and less of him in the past few days.

She stood up from her desk and began wandering around the house. James was in the lab doing research on an oil secreted by one of the abnormals through a gland in it's paw, he talked on end about the oil's healing effect, and how he didn't want to be disturbed during his experiments.

John and Nigel were off somewhere, most likely showing off their newly acquired gifts, or monster hunting.

Nikola was most likely in his room, drinking wine and reading poetry, he hadn't been seen in the lab since the injection.

Helen made her way to Nikola's room and knocked on the door gently.

When she received no answer she opened the door and went in herself.

Nikola's room was in shambles; a complete disaster compared to his normally impeccably tidy, borderline compulsive, upkeep.

Something was wrong.

"Nikola," she said cautiously, her eyes searching for him.

She heard a rustling coming from the bathroom and she made her way to it slowly, her breath threatening to lodge permanently in her throat.

The hair at the back of her neck stood on end as her hand reached out and turned the handle.

Nikola was a wreck, he was panting, his skin was ghostly pale, and his eyes screamed with panic and confusion.

"Nikola, what's wrong?" she gasped alerting him to her presence.

"Nothing! It's nothing!" he muttered, and he ran a hand through his slick dark hair messing it up effectively.

"You look feverish, are you feeling well?" she stepped closer to him, a hand reaching out to touch his skin; it was icy cold.

"I'm fine," he barked moving away from her. He held a small traveling bag in one hand and he frantically dropped his affects into it, as if he was trying to make a quick getaway.

"Are you going somewhere," she looked at the bag with confusion.

"Can't stay here…for now…it's hard to explain, Helen, just, just trust me, I'll be back, but I have to leave," he pushed past her to the armoir and he shoved his clothes into the bag, not bothering to fold them.

"Have you done something?" she asked, eyeing him. There were only so many things that could get him worked up like this.

"No, it's nothing!" he barked, he wiped his head with the back of his hand.

"You're sick, you shouldn't leave, lets go down to the lab, James can run some tests, we can figure out what's wrong," she reached for his arm but he moved away.

"No, can't do that! I just have to leave, please let me go," he pleaded with her as she blocked the doorway.

"Not until you tell me why," she ordered and he groaned.

"I can't, I just…can't stay here…right now," he winced and took in a deep ragged breath.

"Is it me, Nikola?" she asked.

"Of course not, it's not any of you, it's me, I just have to leave, and I can't tell you why," he scrubbed a hand over his face again and Helen took this opportunity to come up to him. Her hands cupped his face, forcing him to look at her; he didn't resist her.

"Please, stay," she begged him with her eyes, her father had already left her for his own reasons, she couldn't let Nikola do the same.

"I can't, I need to go…please, let me go, Helen," he whimpered and Helen's hands dropped.

"Stay, I can't bare you to leave right now, I need you," she took his hand; it was cold and clammy.

"Stop trying to guilt me, I am not your father, NOW LET ME GO!" he yanked his hand out of hers and pushed past her, leaving her speechless in his wake.

Helen heard his footsteps grow fainter, and she suddenly bolted after him, but by the time she reached the stairs the front doors had slammed behind him and the carriage had taken him away.

She fell to the ground, her dress billowing about her.

"What was that all about?" came James voice behind her.

He had heard nothing but the door slamming and Helen running to catch it.

"Nikola…he-he left…" she said, breathlessly.

"What the devil for?" he came up behind her and looked out the window, hearing the carriage turn a corner.

"I don't know, he wouldn't say, he just left," Helen bit her lip; she wasn't going to cry for that arrogant asshole.

"Is he coming back?" asked James.

"I don't know," she muttered and James knelt beside her.

"Are you okay?" he said gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know," she looked at him and wrapped her arms around him, letting herself shed a tear or two into the safety of his arms.

"Oh Helen, I'm sure he'll be back, he can't stay away from you for too long, you're his closest friend, he'll be back, with that sad puppy face of his, flowers in hand, this isn't the first time he's ran out of the house and disappeared," he said light-heartedly and Helen sighed.

"You didn't see him, James, you didn't see how frightened he looked," she let go of him and stood up.

"Show me his room," said James.

"What?" she looked at him incredulously.

"Just show me his room, if something is wrong I will know," she nodded and showed him to Nikola's torn apart room.

He looked around inquisitively, his hand on his chin, as he paced around the room.

"He left in a hurry did he?" he asked out of the blue.

"Yes, like he was being chased," she said.

"And he was sweating?" he asked, kneeling down and running his hand along the floor.

"Yes he seemed quite feverish and pale, very out of sorts," she answered and he made a sound in response.

"Did he mention where he was going to?" James looked at her.

"No, he just said he was leaving and he couldn't tell me why," James stood up and went over to her.

"Helen, this might be a premature guess, but are we absolutely sure our good friend hasn't…lost it," James said gently.

"What are you saying?" Helen glared at him.

"Mental illness isn't uncommon, especially with such a brilliant mind as his, he could've been afraid that he was slipping and left before we found out because he was afraid of being sent to the asylum," James stated calmly and Helen slapped him across the face.

"How dare you? Wipe that thought out of your mind! He was perfectly fine till we injected that serum into him, he-" Helen stopped herself. She had just answered the conundrum for both of them. "It's the source blood, it has to be! It's doing something to him, it's making him sick and confused, we have to find him!"

James nodded.

"Yes but we don't know where he is, or anything like that Helen, and he's probably too far for us to catch him, even with John's help, which I wouldn't take any way because he is far from controlling it properly," James said.

"We have to try!" Helen fumed but James just took her hands and looked into her eyes.

"There's nothing we can do, not without a miracle," said James calmly and Helen yanked her hands out of his and stormed off, feeling helpless and hopeless.

She had to find him…she had to help him…

_**~~~~December 24 1880~~~~**_

Helen stared out of the window as the rain fell, there was nothing more miserable than a rainy day in the middle of winter, and it did nothing to her mood.

This Christmas Eve felt emptier than it had been in the last decade. It just wasn't the same without Nikola, but they still hadn't heard any trace of his whereabouts since he had disappeared almost a week ago. Everyday she sank deeper and deeper into despair.

What if he was terribly sick, or lost? What if he was lying dead in a city morgue somewhere, or floating in the Thames? What if he hurt someone, or himself?

All these what-ifs sent her heart racing.

"Helen, relax, you'll worry yourself into a knot," said John coming behind her with a glass of brandy. They'd been sure not to drink wine around her in the last few days; it would only upset her.

"I can't relax, not till I know that he is safe and well," she muttered taking the glass of brandy.

"He's probably fine, Helen, probably drinking it away at some Pub," joked John.

"That's not funny, John, he could be lying in a ditch somewhere, or dying in a clinic surrounded by strangers wondering why we haven't come for him, or whether if we will," she turned from the window and went to stand in front of the fire place. "I hate to think of how lonely he must feel, and confused."

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to cheer you up, it's Christmas, can you blame me for wanting to see you smile, at least once, you haven't smiled all week," John stroked her cheek gently and she sighed.

"I'm sorry, it's not your fault, I am very grateful to all of you, I'm just worried that's all, it doesn't feel like Christmas without my whole family here," she smiled weakly and took a sip of the brandy.

"I understand, my dear," John went over to the gramophone and put on a record. "Please, dance with me."

He offered her his hand and she sighed.

"No, John, I'm not in the mood," she shook her head but John was persistent.

"Come on, it's just one dance, it might perk up your spirits a bit, take your mind off things," he took her hand and pulled her slowly to him and she sighed.

"I doubt that's possible," she put the brandy glass down as John pulled her into a slow waltz. "Just one dance."

"That's all I ask," he smiled slightly as he led her across the floor smoothly and gently.

Helen felt her tense muscles ease a bit into John's strong embrace as he swayed her to the music, and for a moment she felt lighter than she had all week, she felt a small laugh escape her lips as he dipped her and she rested her head against his shoulder with a small smile.

But her mind drifted to another dance, years ago, the first New Years Eve she had spent with her beloved Serbian friend. She had never felt so lighter than air than when she was dancing with her best friend with blanket of stars overhead, like that evening of her birthday which felt like an eternity ago.

Helen stopped dancing.

"That's enough," she said pulling away from John.

"But Helen, the song's not nearly over," he held her hand still but she shook he head.

"That's enough, John, I'm done," she took her a hand out of his and smoothed down her skirts as James burst into the room.

"Helen, come quick!" he said, breathing hard to catch his breath.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"It's a call! From some woman, it's about Nikola!" he said grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room with him. "A woman called, the landlady of that Inn Nikola occupies down in Oxford."

"Nikola's in Oxford!" she gasped and looked at John who was following behind her.

"Yes! And from what I heard he's not in good shape, he's been locked in his room since he arrived four days ago, the landlady is in a panic, she didn't know who else to call but a Miss Helen Magnus."

"I can teleport us there quickly," said John.

"Are you sure? You haven't practiced with anyone but yourself," said Helen, but John just nodded.

"I'll teleport us to the park, that wide open field, we should be fine," he said.

"I'll grab Nigel," said James.

"I'll meet you there, John, take me now!" he nodded and grabbed her hand.

_**~~~~Oxford~~~~**_

Helen walked up the cobbled street to the small Inn with a quick pace.

The rain whipped at her face as she came up to the old oak door and knocked on it.

An old lady answered the door frantically.

"Ah, Ms. Magnus, I didn't know who to call, you are the only one I know of that he spends any amount of time with, and he's starting to scare my other patrons!"

The old Scottish woman closed and locked the door behind her.

"He arrived nearly four days ago looking like death itself, demanding his old room, only till last night he's been making the most frightful noises I've ever heard, I fear he is ill but he refuses anyone's entrance!"

Helen nodded and walked up the old staircase to the second floor.

Some patrons had peaked out of their rooms to see what was all the commotion about, Helen told them to return to their rooms.

She got to the last room at the end of the hall and heard the pained cries from the other side of the door; it sounded like he was being attacked by a vicious beast in there.

"Nikola? It's Helen, let me in," she said gently.

"Helen? No! Go away!" Nikola's voice sounded strained and fearful.

"Nikola! What is going on in there?" she demanded.

"Nothing! Just go away!" she heard a crash of something and shook her head and barged in.

"Niko-…" she trailed off at the sight, the room had been torn apart, the curtains were in shreds, clothes thrown everywhere, bits of broken wine bottles and wine glasses everywhere, paper thrown or shredded, and in the middle of it all was Nikola.

Not an inch of cloth on him, every muscle seemed to shake and shiver like there was liquid ice being poured into his veins, and red smears graced several areas, but there were no cuts or contusions she could see, no bruising, nothing.

He lay huddled in the fetal position, hugging his knee to his chest; his face was hidden from hers.

"God, Nikola, what happened?"

She knelt down beside his quivering body and laid a hand on his side.

His trembling seemed to lessen at the contact.

"Nikola, is there anything I can do to help? Tell me what's wrong," she said calmly.

"I…I'm changing Helen, I'm changing into something and I can't stop, it's that blood, whatever it does, it's doing this to me!" he gasped out.

"But we're fine, me, James, John, Nigel to some extent, we're all fine!" she bit her lip nervously. "Is your body rejecting the blood?"

"I don't think so Helen…I want you to leave, leave me now please!" he barked viciously.

"Nikola, I'm here to help, let me!" she said assuredly.

"You cannot help!" Nikolas voice deepened into something very unnatural.

He sprung up and moved away from her, into a corner of the room, still keeping his face from her.

"Nikola, what's wrong?" she followed tentatively.

"Just leave!" he shouted again.

"I won't! Not when you're like this!" she shouted back.

"Please, I don't want to hurt you," he whimpered.

She knelt in front of him and took his clammy hands in hers gently.

"You won't."

She shivered slightly at how cold is hands were.

"How can you say that when I look like this!" he turned his face and snarled at her.

She jumped back at the sight, the claws, the fangs, and the dead, black eyes.

"What are you Nikola?" she gulped.

"I'M A MONSTER!" he screamed before crashing out of the window and away into the night.

Helen took a moment to catch her breath before staring out the shattered window, she saw the rest of The Five running up the street and she ran down the stairs to join them.

"What the devil was that?" asked James as he ran up to her.

"It's Nikola, the blood, it turned him into something, something awful, I don't understand," Helen gasped.

"My god," muttered James.

"We'll get him Helen, don't worry," said Nigel, James nodded in agreement.

"Of course," mumbled John and they booked it in the direction that Nikola had gone.

Helen heard a cry and ran to a young woman, frightened and shivering.

"It was a monster!" the woman grabbed ahold of James who had knelt down beside her.

"Are you hurt ma'am" he asked kindly.

"N-no, I don't think so," she said.

"Go on, I'll stay with the girl," said James.

"Which way did the monster run?" asked Helen and the girl pointed down the street.

Helen ran fast hoping to catch Nikola before he hurt someone.

Nigel handed her a handheld pistol he had modified.

"Hit him with this Helen, it should knock him out long enough for us to get him home," he said and Helen took it quickly, her eyes searching for her friend in the dark streets.

Suddenly she was grabbed and her hand held behind her as she was pulled into the darkness of an alley.

"Shh, stay quiet!" whispered Nikola.

"Nikola!" Helen gasped. "We need to get you home, you're not well."

"It's the blood Helen, it's doing this to me, now I crave it!" he whispered and Helen felt his hand caress down her neck.

"Crave what?" she said, panic filling her voice.

"Blood, Helen, I could smell yours the moments you came up the stairs, into my room, full rich blood, that's why I left Helen, you're intoxicating," Helen gulped slightly when she felt his breath on her neck, she closed her eyes afraid of what he would do to her.

"Nikola, I know you, you wouldn't hurt me, we're going to fix you and this craving, and things will be just like they were," she reached her hands out to cup his face, opening her eyes. She could see the moon reflected in his eyes, but not much else, but she could feel him plant a kiss in the flat of her palm, and down to wrist, and her breath hitched in her throat.

Helen opened her mouth to speak, or to scream, she couldn't tell, but no sound came out because it was muffled by Nikola's kiss. It wasn't a soft tender kiss, like the ones they shared over the years, and it wasn't a passionate kiss like the ones she had dreamed of him giving her many times, it was hungry, and suffocating.

His whole body pressed against her as his lips left hers and trailed down to her neck. She was more terrified than aroused. This was not her Nikola, this was something unnatural, and his kisses were more threatening than a wolves growl. His hands, that trailed down her skin were icy, and left chills in their wake.

"Nikola, please," she whimpered, swallowing a cry.

"Close your eyes Helen, it will all be fine," he whispered menacingly into her ear, before he licked it and made of trail of kisses to the pulse point on her neck. He rested his head there for a moment, pressed flush against the soft skin of her neck, the cool skin of his face causing gooseflesh to pop up all over her body.

It felt like the hand of death was gripping her by the throat.

"I can feel your blood rushing," Nikola's voice didn't sound like him at all, he sounded inhuman, unnatural, she wondered if it was Nikola at all, or just a bad dream. "I want it."

Helen felt something sharp prick her neck and she cried out, hoping that one of the boys would rescue her.

"Helen!" she heard John's voice.

He came with Nigel and James running behind, all their guns pointed, and Nikola moved to barricade her from them.

"You can't have her!" he snarled at them.

Helen saw him wipe his mouth and she felt a hot liquid dribble down her neck, but she was afraid to move.

"Helen? What's he done to you?" growled John.

"Nikola, we're not going to take her from you, we're going to take you and her home, where we can all be together again, all five of us, won't that be nice," said James calmly, and Nikola relaxed slightly.

"Come on old chap, we're friends, we wouldn't dream of removing Helen," said Nigel, playing along with James' ruse.

"Just come with us, that's it, follow us home, that's right," cooed James and Nikola took a step forward cautiously following the threesome as the slowly backed their way out of the alley, coercing him to follow.

He heard a click behind him and he froze and turned around.

Helen had the gun Nigel had given her in hand, pointed at Nikola.

"I'm sorry Nikola," she muttered before she pulled the trigger, the shot hitting him square in the chest sending him toppling to the ground unconscious.

"John take him back to London," ordered James as he went up to her. "Helen, are you alright?" he asked checking the two puncture marks on her mark.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken," she shivered and took James hand, appreciating the humanly warmth it had.

"Why did the source blood change him like that?" asked Nigel.

"From what we know the blood unlocks dormant abnormal genes in our DNA, all humanity is a potential abnormal, just some are dormant and some are not, it's like the same reason that Helen has blue eyes and I have brown," James said flatly as he examined Helen. "Obviously there is something in our friend's DNA that has remained dormant for a long time."

"Maybe it should have stayed that way," said Helen, she shivered again, the memory of Nikola's death like coldness still lingering on her skin.

"Come on, my dear, let's take you to the pub, get some color back in your cheeks," James wrapped an arm around her comfortingly and walked her out of the alley.


	15. December Sickness (2)

**Chapter 15 – December Sickness Part 2**

_**~~~~December 30 1880~~~~**_

Helen sighed as she stared out the window; a thick sheet of rain marring the London skyline. This winter had been perfectly dreary. It had rained and blown more than it had snowed, what little snow was left was either patches of ice, or a puddle of slush. It remained blistering cold though, making it just that more unpleasant.

"Helen, stop looking out the bleak window, it's doing nothing for your mood," said John from the settee, the fire crackling behind him.

"You're right, I shouldn't, the weather is just as grim as I feel," she sighed.

"Come, sit by me, I assure you I am much pleasant company than the rain," he said in a light tone.

"That may be true, but I don't feel like being in good company right now, a ray of sunshine like you shouldn't waste it's time with a grey cloud like me," she half-heartedly chuckled.

"Ah, nonsense, come," he patted the space on the settee beside him.

She sighed and walked over, gingerly sitting down, smoothing the skirts of her dress down as she got comfortable.

"You look better already," he smiled at her.

"I still feel the same," she said almost sadly.

"Because of Nikola?" John muttered almost bitterly. "Seriously Helen, does your smile only grace itself on your features for him?"

Helen stared at him, slightly shocked at his sudden change in tone.

"What are you getting at? I am concerned for him, he is a close friend, we have been unable to find a viable cure for his condition, and he grows increasingly violent! So forgive me if I'm not singing 'My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean,' I would be just upset if it were any of you! How dare you accuse me of favoritism!" she stood up glaring at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, please sit back down," he said calmly, taking her hand.

She relented and sat back down.

"Has there been any light shed on his condition? Any reason why the blood affected him this way?" he said after a moment.

"From what father can tell he is a vampire, well, part vampire anyway," she said looking at him a bit more softly.

"Wouldn't we all be vampires then?" he asked, noting that the source blood had come from pure blood vampires.

"Father believes that Nikola had the vampire genes to begin with, they were just dormant. That's what the blood does, it unlocks latent abnormal abilities, some that present themselves almost immediately, some that become present over time," Helen looked at her hands as she spoke.

"So you might actually have something in there," he half-joked.

Helen chose to ignore that statement.

"James believes that we can still Nikola's rampant bloodlust if we can manage to concoct a serum of some sort to suppress it, we've had no luck so far, unfortunately. Nigel's helping," she sighed and put a hand on her temple and leaned on the arm of the settee.

"Is it because of this that you're so gloomy today, Helen?" he asked gently.

"Of course it is. A friend of mine is fighting to control a monster, and there is nothing I can do to help him, he's sometimes so riled up he doesn't even recognize me, it's that damn bloodlust, it's driving him crazy. I'm afraid…I'm afraid by the time we have a working serum, he won't be Nikola anymore," she bit her lip and looked away; maybe to shield her face from any tears he might see.

"Helen, you and James will find a cure, I'm sure of it, and Nikola will be back to his normal, pestulant self in no time," he put a hand gently on top of hers.

"You make it all sound so easy, but it's not," she mumbled, wrapping her fingers around his strong hand.

"It won't be a walk in the park, but I know you can do it," he said with a small smile.

"Helen," said James as he came into the study.

"Yes, James, what is it?" she asked removing her hand from Johns.

"I believe I've found the answer, we were going at it from the wrong angle, we were trying to suppress his craving like one would suppress an appetite, but what if it's not a physical craving," James took her hand and helped her to her feet.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I want to open him up, I believe his transformation unlocked more than just a pair of fangs and some claws. I've been reading up on your father's book about vampire physiology, they had a structure, an organ, a second stomach if you will, or maybe more like a liver or a kidney that aided in their need for blood, the nutrients in blood, maybe the high iron content, I don't know for sure. It's small, no bigger than the gall bladder, an appendage to the stomach," James led Helen out of the room and down to his as he spoke, John only a step behind, listening intently.

"You want to cut Nikola open to look for this appendage?" Helen asked wide-eyed.

"I want to do a biopsy, cut a small sample of tissue to examine it, if I can understand what it does then we can create a serum to prevent it, if it's iron he needs then we can develop a medication with a high iron content, of course if that's the case we may have to fix his diet, but I need that tissue sample Helen," he said looking at her seriously.

"How safe is the procedure?" she asked.

"For a normal human it would probably be very high risk, but from the rapid regeneration and healing capabilities he shows, for him it would be as safe as dental work, that's why I suggested it," said James in complete confidence.

"How do you expect us to keep him unconscious for that long?" Helen sighed, she was still very much in doubt.

"Our dear friend Nigel and I have been developing an anesthetic, similar to what had knocked him out beforehand, just a little stronger," he said proudly.

"And how do you plan to inject it in him? He won't sit still long enough for you to talk with him, let alone drive a syringe full of anesthetic!" she groaned exasperated.

"Yes, we're going to have to hold him down, and you're going to have to shoot him, but I promise it will all be worth it in the end," Helen looked at her friend, and at John.

"Ok, I will assist you in the biopsy, I won't have it any other way," she said adamantly.

"Of course, I'll have the operation room prepped, John I could use your help in restraining Nikola, he's going to resist quite frightfully, be prepared for a beating," James rushes out of the lab.

"You make it sound so inviting," said John as his friend ran out the door, he turned to Helen and smiled.

"Didn't I tell you that you'd find a way," he grinned even wider.

"I didn't, it was James," she said matter-of-factly, "But you were right, thank you."

Helen sighed.

"I should get ready, I'll meet you down in the isolation cells with the others," she exited the room walking at a normal pace until she had felt far enough away.

She stopped and let herself feel a sigh of relief, let her emotions from the past weeks wash over her.

She was both relieved and scared of what was about to come, relieved that after weeks of failure a ray of hope has emerged, scared that it may be a false hope, and that she'd forever have to look into those blood-black dead eyes, and see nothing in return.

She remembered how hard it was to pull the trigger on him the first time, how hard it was not to will herself away when Christmas Day arrived, and she had spent it watching him rage against the walls of his cage.

She had done many surgeries, and assisted many times for her father, even performed a couple of her own on some of the creatures in her father's keep, but she didn't know if she would be able to make it through this one.

She sighed and made her way down to the cells, to quickly get one look at Nikola, before the others arrived.

He was resting, sleeping on a pile of stuff he had thrown on the floor, no more than a mass of blankets and bedpans. His breathing was ragged but steady, his hair was wild and unkempt, and most of his clothes had been ripped or torn and thrown into the heap. The window to the observation deck was cracked in several places where he had slammed against it during one of his rages.

His face was turned from her and all she saw was the lean and spiny curvature of his back and the slight rise as his rib cage expanded and deflated with each breath. Even though he was sleeping his breath still sounded odd and unnatural, like his voice had been in the alley.

She wanted the old Nikola back, her Nikola, the human-phobic, compulsive, arrogant, obnoxious man she had grown to love.

In all her years of causing trouble and mayhem with the Serbian, she had never dreamt that they would end up in trouble such as this. Real trouble.

_**~~~~Later~~~~ **_

"AGGHHHH!"

Helen tried to hold herself together watching her dear friend struggle and fight as James, Nigel, and John worked to hold him down and restrain him to the gurney.

"RELEASE ME!" screamed Nikola.

He bared his fangs and his eyes, black dead orbs, staring with hatred and hunger at her.

"Please Nikola, we only want to help you, let us!" she bit back her tears.

"AGGHH!" he screamed again as he tried to claw at John.

John growled angrily and grabbed his arm and brought it back violently, Nigel jumped to strap the restraints on.

They proceeded to help James and pull down Nikola's other arm and strap it down tightly.

Nikola growled and kicked violently trying to pull away and burst free of the tight bonds.

They grabbed his legs and pulled them down as well to restrain him then moved away quickly as Helen raised the pistol to his chest and fired.

He stopped jerking and struggling and went limp.

Helen put down the weapon and walked over to Nikola's limp body and stroked his hair gently.

"Nice shot, Helen," said James, taking a breath.

"It's a strong sedative in bullet form," said Nigel as she pulled the bullet out of his chest and the wound instantly healed, "Something I developed for easy sedation."

"Well it won't really work on us mortals, unless you are refining a method to inject the sedative without having to shoot a bloody hole in them," stated John.

"It would prove to be quite useful on those creatures who don't willingly accept treatment," said James.

Helen ignored the scientific minds buzzing about behind her and just stared sadly at Nikola, still smoothing down his hair.

"Give me the anesthetic James," she said holding out her hand. He handed her a syringe which she immediately injected into his forearm.

His head immediately jerked and his eyes blazed open, making Helen jump away from him.

The black orbs slowly faded into the blue-grey eyes that she had come to know and love.

He sighed a little drugged-like and looked at her.

"Helen?" he choked out.

"Yes Nikola," she went up and stroked his face.

"Mid-term exam tomorrow, don't be late," he said before closing his eyes and slipping into unconsciousness.


	16. Unfair Goodbyes

**Chapter 16 – Unfair Goodbyes**

_**~~~~January 1881~~~~**_

Helen sighed exhaustedly as she worked in the lab.

"Helen, you should get some rest," said James, ever the brother.

"Rest, who has the time?" she shrugged, half-heartedly.

"The world won't fall apart if you close your eyes for five minutes, but you might," he said gently.

"Well, I should check on Nikola, anyway, so maybe I can stop for a little and have a break," Helen sighed putting down her tools.

It had been nearly a fortnight since they had found a cure for his bloodlust, since then he's been even more recluse, she really was worried. How was she suspected to help other abnormals with their abilities if she couldn't help her best friend.

Helen nodded to James in thanks and leaved the lab in a swift step, moving past John who walked in with a tray of tea.

"What is up with our dear Helen?" inquired John, he looked at James with a small smile.

"What else? It's that bugger, Tesla, he's had her worked up in knots since he turned, and her mind has sorely noticed anything else," James said with a sigh, accepting the tea with a grateful smile.

"Do you suspect he's doing it on purpose?" asked John, taking his own tea.

"Of course not, I don't doubt that what he's going through is real, I've talked with him and he's just as terrified as Helen suspects he is, he's just too proud to ask for anyone's help, especially Helen's," shrugged James.

"But he's cured, what is there for him to worry about?" asked John.

"It's one thing to cure the cause, it's a whole other thing to cure the symptom," said James cryptically.

"It's been weeks," John said with a hint of annoyance.

"It's understandable, we don't fully understand how much the sourceblood has changed in him, have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up in another man's body, John? That's how he feels, just give him time," James put his cup down. "Now, I could use your help with George, daily injection and all."

John's lips curved into a smirk and he nodded to his friend in agreement.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Helen reached the door to Nikola's room and took a moment to collect herself before lifting her white knuckles to the oak and rapping lightly.

The door opened faster than she would've been comfortable with.

"Helen! Come in!" Nikola said excitedly, immediately tugging her into the room and closing the door behind her.

Helen heard a distinct squeak sneak past his lips and he rushed past her.

"You seem to be in a different mood today, Nikola, been sleeping well?" she asked cautiously.

"Haven't been sleeping at all, haven't needed to, I've just been thinking, thinking thinking, thinking! I can't stop! It's marvelous! I see everything clearer, like it's before me in 3D, it's tangible, like I can reach out and grab it! I've had marvelous, even genius ideas before, but none so clearly laid out before me like this! I feel I understand Physics better! Electricity! It's like sex!" he made some sort of sound, like simulating a volcano erupting, probably trying to convey how he was feeling.

"I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about," Helen said, taken slightly aback from his choice of words.

"It's like James' said, the silver ling or whatever. Well, I found it! I don't know why it has taken me this long to find it, but I did, and it's genius!" Nikola was nearly hopping on the spot with his excitement. "And I wouldn't have seen it without you, I know I wouldn't have!"

He ran up to her grabbing the sides of her head and kissing her cheek tenderly.

"Nikola!" Helen squeaked with surprise.

"Your books! I couldn't sleep so I decided to still my curiosity and started reading up on what I am! Like you said I should, you brilliant woman! To understand what I've become, or rather, what I've always been! Or something! It's brilliant!" Nikola exclaimed and Helen let out a half-chuckle as he took her hands and pulled her up to his desk, covered with papers, notebooks, and journals.

"Wow, you really haven't been sleeping," Helen looked at the clutter with bewilderment.

"How could I possibly? There's so much I have to figure out! Especially when everything is so clear to me! Helen, I am an heir to a race of kings! Vampires ruled worlds, built cities, provided the world with an abundance of knowledge and technology, not the old wives tale of blood hungry creatures, I mean, obviously it's a factor, but the ancient ones must have been able to control it, or we'd all be vampires!" Nikola rambled on excitedly, making Helen a little nervous.

"Nikola, when was the last time you ate a proper meal?" Helen lifted her hands to his face, wondering if he was feeling feverish.

"I, uh, don't remember, but that's not important right now, listen!" He clasped her hands and moved them from his face. "I've figured out what I can do with this new ability…for the better! For the world! Nikola picked up a scrap of paper off the desk and pushed it into her hands.

Helen looked down and read the words on the paper.

"Budapest?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Mmm-hmm, this company is the leading front in electrical engineering!" he smiled widely pointing to the name on the paper.

"But what about us? The Five? Me, James, Nigel, and John, we need you," said Helen, a little crushed at his wanting to leave. She took Nikola's hand and looked into his eyes.

"With Watson's super brain and Johnny boy's teleporting powers, you don't need me, we've pushed the boundaries of science together with the source blood! Now it's time to utilize the gifts we were given, and mine are no use to you here, Helen!" he said exasperatedly. "We're not in Oxford anymore, Helen! James works part time for Scotland Yard, Nigel has his own little projects, Druitt is always assisting your father in their little 'surgeries', you yourself take on patients behind closed doors, you all have lives outside The Five, why can't I?" Nikola ran his hand through his hair and turned from her to stare out his window.

"Yes, we all have our little side projects, Nikola, but we're still together, you are proposing to run off to Budapest on a whim, leaving us all behind! That's not fair to them, or to me!" she stepped up behind him and put her hand on her shoulder. "Why do you really want to leave?"

She felt him tense at her contact.

"I told you, Helen, I want to use this brain for something meaningful, and it'll only be for awhile, just enough to get me out of this rut, but I promise, every Christmas, I'll be back, you know I can't stay away," he turned to face her and cup her chin, giving her a chaste kiss. "Keep that as a promise."

Helen shook her head.

"It's too soon, Nikola, we've only just got the right dosage for you medication, we don't even know if there are any side effects yet, just stay Nikola, at least until I'm sure you won't eat your co-workers down in Budapest," Nikola sighed out with a huff.

"Fine, but the position will only be open till February, then, whether you have your permission or not, I'll be there," he looked at her seriously.

Helen nodded and wrapped her arms around him in a small embrace.

"I won't be able to convince you otherwise, will I?" she asked softly.

"No," Nikola laughed gently.

And she wasn't.

No more than a few weeks later he had left, without so much as a warning, just a forwarding address in Budapest and a goodbye letter addressed to her.

She swear she'd hate him for a long time.


	17. Under Paris, Under Water

**Chapter 17 – Under Paris, Under Water**

_**~~~~Fall 1882, Paris~~~~**_

Helen watched the scenery outside her train window whiz by. In her hand she held tightly in her grasp a wad of letters she had collected over the years, the address was from Budapest, the letterhead noting the National Telephone Company, and the signature at the bottom noting it's chief electrician.

She hadn't seen him since he had left back in January, so close to 1880 that it felt like a whole two years had passed since she had seen her Serbian friend.

She had traced him down to his living space in Budapest only to find that he had left, on a whim, just like he had done in London, his mind taking him further and further away. The landlord handed her a scrap of paper specifically left for her with a mailing address and a name. The Continental Edison Company. Obviously the telephone company ceased to satisfy his need for electricity and electrical power. He needed invention, he had stated so much in his letters. Now he had run off to Paris.

One call to the company gave her confirmation and she was on a boat and on this train before James had time to convince her otherwise.

She had sworn Watson to secrecy, she didn't want John to catch wind of her travels, the poor man had been growing frightfully ill because of his ability, she was sure of it. The less he did the better.

She tucked the letters into her side bag as the Paris Train Station came into view. The train screeched and lurched to a stop, and the window became marred with a thick sheet of smoke.

The conductor shouted ringing his bell and she gathered up her bags, and made her way out of the car.

The first thing she smelt was the thick layer of smoke, it fogged everything, but as her eyes adjusted she could see other people falling into a loved ones embrace, pulling out a map, or just standing there, waiting to be greeted, like herself.

The smoke cleared fully, and her eyes darted across all the faces on the platform, she saw no one familiar.

She picked up her suitcase and took a step. Maybe if she made a call, or sent a message, maybe he would come for her, maybe he had come for her.

She felt a little hopelessness sink into her. She was so sure that Nikola was calling her to come to him, why else would he have left that scrap of paper for her in Budapest.

Was it just because he wanted their correspondence to continue?

The thought made her sick to think about.

"Pardon moi, madame," a voice said behind her, "But I believe you dropped something."

She turned around and came face to face with a pair of brilliant grey-blue eyes and a boyish grin hidden under a thick and well-groomed mustache.

"You bastard," was all she could say and he let out a small chuckle.

"You didn't think that I would beckon you all this way just to keep you waiting, now would you?" he grinned even wider.

She rolled her eyes ad threw her arms around him.

"You are such an ass," she muttered before pecking his cheek.

"And you look as beautiful as ever," he pecked her cheek in return. "Come, I have a carriage waiting."

Nikola picked up her suitcase and looped her arm with his.

"So tell me what you've been up to," said Helen with a smile.

"Oh, I will…in time," he said cryptically.

"Why does that sound rather disconcerting?" she laughed.

"Because you think that everything I do is going to end up with something blowing up," he smirked.

"And?" she teased.

"Only some of the time," he smirked as he helped her into the carriage.

He sat next to her.

"So, how are the others?" he asked making small chatter as the carriage moved on.

"Fine, Watson's been working even more at Scotland Yard recently, Nigel's been up to his old tricks, nothing really knew there, John's been having some problems with health and controlling his ability, I've been working with him primarily. Some new abnormals have found safe harbor, but nothing really interesting, and then there's you," she looked at him. "You've fallen off the face of the Earth, our only connection to you is through these letters you send ever so often, you left Budapest after becoming the Chief Electrician for the Telephone Company to come work for Edison in France, what is going on with you, Nikola? Is it the source blood?" she took his hand.

"Of course not, I'm keeping up with my medication, the thought hasn't even crossed my mind, I'm just…adventurous, the Telephone Company wasn't doing anything for me, it was a waste of my talents. I was miserable in Budapest, but then one day this fellow named, uh, Batchelor, calls me up and tells me about this Edison fellow, a pioneer in electricity in America, expanding his company into France. I figured why not, the guy is an inventor himself, maybe he would listen to my ideas, so I handed in my resignation, left that note with the landlord and made my way to Paris, and here I am, and so are you," he answered honestly. "I missed you, Helen."

"I missed you too, you're letters are seldom a replacement for your company back in London," she smiled softly.

"Well, you won't be disappointed about what I have to show you, call it a gift," he grins and looks out the window.

"A gift?" she probes.

"Mmm," he looks at her again. "You'll see."

After awhile he tapped the side of the coach and it stopped.

"Mylady," he grinned stepping out of the car and then extending his hand to hers.

He tells the driver to take her bags to his home, tipped him then took Helen's hand leading her through the entrance into a park.

"Is this a constant stop for you?" she teased.

"More often than not," he answered with a smile. "We're not here to feed the birds."

Helen eyed him suspiciously as he takes her behind a large willow tree. He pulls her to him when she looked away at the cascading branches of the willow.

"Nikola!" she squeals slightly.

He leans in and kisses her lips roughly; Helen heard a small squeak resonate in the back of her throat. The kiss was tenderer than when he had cornered her in the dark alley under the effects of the bloodlust, that goes without saying, but she felt a similar hunger behind it.

He pulled back and winked at her.

"Just play along," he whispers to her before kissing her jaw line back to her lips.

To say Helen was stunned would be an understatement, she was frozen stiff, unsure what he was doing.

"Nikola…what are you doing?" she gasped out, putting her hands on his chest to push him away slightly to look at her.

"Shh," he put a finger to his lips and moved his eyes to gesture her to carefully look to her right.

She saw two men dressed in black, suspiciously too interested.

"They've been following me since Budapest, and I suspect it is not because I am good with electricity," he whispered softly, again wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her neck gently.

"They were there at the station, watching us, I want them to think that all they're seeing is a romantic tryst between a genius and a beautiful lady, and not the true purpose behind your visit," he kissed her lips again before moving to the other side of her neck.

"And we had to do this in a park?" she muttered, moving her hands into his hair slightly.

"The entranceway to an old sewer line is right underneath my feet, what I'm hoping is that these vultures will have the decency to turn theirs heads when they realize that we are not up to something diabolical, that's when we'll disappear," she felt his hand slowly bunch up the skirts of her dress and she gulped slightly.

"You do mean faking it?" she eyed him slightly.

He nods slightly.

"Don't worry, I promised I would never tarnish your honor, and I haven't done so yet, I am a gentleman I'll have you know," he placed his hand deftly on her waist and kissed her again, this time she kissed back. Letting herself buy into the ruse, it was like a play; Romeo and Juliet kissing in secret as the Montagues and Capulets peered nearby.

She felt a slight breeze hit her newly exposed knee and she shuddered slightly.

A couple caught in such an act like this would no doubt be put to public shame in London, but in Paris?

The park was relatively deserted, and the tree was shelter enough that you wouldn't notice the pair of them unless you were really looking, possibly why Nikola had chosen the location.

His hand on her thigh sent butterflies soaring through her, more than she wanted to admit, and the fact that he had pushed the front of her skirts up to her waist excited her more than a lady of Victorian sensibilities should be. Everything wrong about it sent her senses tingling, but she kept firm, this was an act, a performance of sorts. A trick.

It didn't feel that way, it felt like a scene from one of her mother's old novels. She had found the collection hidden in her father's library, the ideas left her mind swarming.

Making love under a tree in broad daylight, her father would've had Nikola castrated, but it isn't much different than making out in the grass under the moonlight, isn't it? She and Nikola had done that before, hadn't they? It felt so long ago she wondered if it had been a dream.

Nikola's lips left hers and she opened her eyes; when had she closed them?

His eyes were not on her, they were looking at the two men, who had turned their heads to be respectful, just like Nikola had hoped.

"Ok, now," he whispered, he removed his hand from her skin, and she immediately missed the feeling.

He knelt down and quickly peeled away a patch of grass covering a manhole.

He popped open the metal lid and grasped Helen's hand.

"Ladies first," he grinned and lowered her into the dark orifice, like a mouth swallowing her into the ground.

Her feet touched ground and she heard a splash. Soon afterward she heard Nikola enter the dark tunnel with her, covering the only source of light with him.

"Having fun yet?" he chuckled, his accent making goosepimples prickle allover her.

"Only with you," she sighed, latching on to his arm. "How do you intend to navigate this place?"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange device.

"Working at Edison's Company has made me privy to some fascinating technology, technology I have adapted to suit my own purposes," he smacks the device and it emits a strong light.

"Edison's biggest innovation, Lightbulbs! They run quite well, but I'm working on ways to make it better, his DC generator is a shoddy thing, I see potential for more, which is what I want to show you," he takes her hand and leads her with his light down the tunnel.

"Is this your 'gift' Nikola?" she stopped him.

He grinned widely.

"You made your own DC generator?" she asked.

"Even better," he stepped closer to her.

He spun on his heel and took him with her.

"It's not complete, but when it is…oh Helen, when it is I will have found a way to lift the whole world out of darkness," he pulled her down another section.

"We're not living in the dark ages, Nikola," she huffed.

"Oh yes we are, not the proverbial dark ages, but an age without light, we still live by the rise and fall of the sun, but what if I find a way that allows us to live in light and dark by our choosing, a flick of a switch! Then suddenly everything else around us becomes easier, thinks like reading, writing, inventing! Soon a whole plethora of inventions will pour out, not just from me! With power comes the ability to create! If my machine can power a million of Edison's lightbulbs what else do you think it could," he smiled and the came across a large steel door.

He protruded a key from his vest pocket and opened the door.

"I haven't even seen it yet," Helen sighed as he guided her through the door.

He closed the door behind her and moved to the left pressing a few buttons, flicking a switch and suddenly the world was thrown into light.

"My god, Nikola," Helen gasped.

"Isn't it marvelous?" he looked at the machine then back at her.

"What is it?" she asked looking at him.

"Not direct current, a stationary electromagnet surrounded by a rotor, building up a magnetic field, creating voltage, alternating current," he smiled like a Mad Hatter.

"It's brilliant, Nikola!" said Helen looking at the device.

It was hooked up to several light bulbs.

"It's not as efficient as it could be, this is just the prototype but when I'm done with it, it will be the invention that will start a chain reaction, the world will look back one day and say where would we be without Tesla's invention," Nikola turned his head suddenly then ran over to the switchboard shutting his wonderous machine down.

"We have to go," he muttered.

"What?" said Helen, he grabbed her hand and took her back out the door. He locked it and moved her back down the tunnel. She heard a faint splashing and footsteps coming from behind.

"If it wasn't for those hounds it would be done by now, unfortunately they only give me so much time to work with it."

He started running down the tunnel.

"Who are they?" whispered Helen, not wanting her voice to carry.

"I do not know, but they follow me like hawks, I've sensed them ever since I turned, it's part of the reason of why I left so suddenly, if they're after me, I didn't want them to come after you or the others," he took her down another section of the tunnel.

"What could they be after?" she asked.

"I'm a vampire, a lost race, face it Helen, you and your father have only just barely scratched the surface of the abnormal world, what if there are others, cults, groups, clans that have been in on it a lot longer than you have, ones with a lot less generous intentions than you," a loud creak resounded through the tunnel and he stopped.

"Nikola, what was that?" she grabbed his arm.

"That's not good," he muttered.

"What's not good?" she prodded.

Another creak resounded and he grabbed her hand tightly and started running.

"I was afraid they'd attempt this eventually!" he said over the sound of he creaking.

"Attempt what?" she cried.

"They're trying to flush us out!" he yelled as a faint sound started fluttering in the back of her hearing.

"What do you mean flush?" she cried as they ran.

"Like when you try to get spiders from under the house! You make their safe habitat unpleasant so they come running out, most people throw a bucket of water into the crawl space!" he turned a corner.

"That's one big bucket of water," muttered Helen as the sound increased exponentially.

"We're not going to make it to the exit in time, hold on!" He grabbed onto a door handle for another one of those strange rooms in the tunnel. She wrapped her arms around his waist and the sound seemed so loud like it would swallow her whole before the water did.

Nikola inhaled a deep intake of breath and she did the same.

Helen closed her eyes tightly waiting for the rush of water to cover them completely.

The wave of water hit them hard, knocking the air out of her lungs and replacing it with water. She released Nikola's waist and was carried by the force of the current aways. After getting her bearings from the shock of the hit she poked her head out of the water and gasped a full breath, coughing the water from her lungs.

"Nikola!" she called.

Her feet touched the bottom, the water only came up to her waist but was slowly rising. The mass of petticoats weighed her down though.

She trudged heavily through the water.

"Nikola!" she called again.

She heard a cough and saw his head poke out from the water. He stood up and shook the long strands of his hair out of his face.

"Nothing like a swim to invigorate the sense!" he said with a grin, wiping a hand across his wet face. "That dress looks ten times better soaked I might add.

He gestured to the white cotton front of her dress with a smirk. Helen rolled her eyes.

"What are we going to do Nikola? We're not out of the woods yet, or out of the water as it may seem," she gestured to the rising level.

"Yes well we might have enough time to get to the exit before we're drowned like rats," he smirked and ran a hand through her hair. "Unfortunately you lost your hat."

Helen sighed.

"Just lead the way Nikola," Helen was more concerned about getting out of here then her apparel.

She stopped.

"Wait, you said they were trying to flush us out, what if getting to the exit is precisely what they want us to do?" she said grabbing his arm.

"You're right, but that means we'll have to wait this one out," he looked around him then at her. "I'm not sure it's a risk I want to take."

"But you're immortal…to a point, we've proved that, you could easily survive the water," she looked bewildered at him.

"Yah but you can't, if I can get you to the exit you can crawl out, maybe lure them away, I'll wait out the water, you go," he held her hand.

"No, I can hold my own, I'm not leaving you," she put her other hand atop his.

"It's going to be rough," he said with a small smile.

"Rougher than hanging off Big Ben?" she laughed.

"Then we at least had air," he chuckled.

"A new challenge then," she said firmly.

"Then we're going to have to get you out of that dress," he said nonchalantly.

"Excuse me?" she gave him a weird stare.

"The layers, they're going to pull you down, if it makes you feel better I can take of some layers too," he undid his jacket and pushed it off his shoulder.

"It doesn't," she glared at him.

"Look, the lighter you are the easier it will be, I promise I will take you shopping and buy you one of those new Parisian gowns all the femmes are wearing!" he grinned again and Helen sighed.

"Don't look," he grinned even wider then put a hand over his eyes as she peeled away several of the layers. "Give me your coat."

He handed it to her and she threw it over her to cover her modesty.

The layers of her dress floated away.

"You owe me," she muttered and he grinned.

"You've never looked better," he eyed the thin wet layers of cotton she had left on.

He took her hand.

"We should get as close to the exit as we can before the levels get too high, the current will get stronger too, soon we'll be swimming against it, we don't want to end up on the other side of town," he trudged his way through the water he following with much difficulty. Despite all the layers she had removed the few she had on still made her feel like she was swimming through marmalade.

"Faster would be preferable," mumbled Nikola.

"I'm trying," she groaned.

"Here," he gestured to his back, suggesting she let him trudge through the thick water carrying the both of them.

"Are you insane?" said Helen.

"I'm stronger than I look, Helen," she let out a sigh but climbed on to his back, surprisingly her added weight made no strain on his effort.

She felt his heart beating through his back, and she hugged him closer to keep herself warm. It didn't help all that much.

He grunted slightly.

"Are you okay?" she said losing her grip.

"Well, as much as I may be immortal, air is still vital," he joked.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

He laughed slightly.

"No, it was great until the oxygen got cut from my brain," he said with a smile.

The water rised significantly as they moved along until he was barely touching the floor any more.

Helen moved off his back and swam next to him, putting up an equal effort to stay afloat.

Nikola looked up.

"Grab ahold of that bar hanging from the ceiling he said, using what little leverage he had to lift her high enough for her to hang, then jumping to hand from an adjacent bar.

"This must be where they would hang lamps for laborers when this was the main line," she said with a slight astonishment.

"Must be," he said holding himself up with one hand as he brushed the water from his face.

"Why do you always attract trouble?" she said with a groan.

"Me? How is this my fault? You're the one that proposed we use the source blood which turned me into what I am, this is in no way my fault, if anyone's it's yours!"

"You asked me down here even though you knew you were being followed!" she accused back.

"You came!" he cried.

"You invited!" she cried back.

"Why are we arguing?" he shouted.

"Because we're cold and we're wet! What else are we going to do?" she sighed.

"I told you to get out while you could," he said with a grin.

"And miss out on an adventure with a vampire, never!" she laughed.

"It's about the only thing I can promise to deliver," he chuckled and looked at her with a soft smile.

It was that small genuine smile that always made her stomach flutter, it was like he reserved it only for her and the few times he would look at her in that way made her feel like the only one in the room.

Her eyes fell back to his lips, the small droplets of water sitting on them, her mind went back to being under the tree. Why keep it an act? If it felt as good as it did, was it really an act?

Do the actor's hearts flutter when they have to kiss a stranger on stage, or do they just do the motions until they have to speak again.

She could just lean over and kiss those warm lips and everything would wash away; the water, the trouble, the fear, the cold, all of it, gone in just one kiss.

Helen didn't move, she just stared at Nikola, wondering what would happen; what if?

The water rose to just over her chin, and she felt a chill rise in her.

"I hope your good at holding your breath," he said with a slight laugh.

"That's easy for you to say, you like swimming," she rolled her eyes.

"Old trick: don't take a deep breath until just before you go under," he said with a grin.

"Oh yes, that helps, I still have to hold it until the water comes down," she sighed, her lip quivered slightly.

"It'll be over sooner than you know it."

"I'm sorry Nikola…for your machine…" she looked at him.

"Don't be, I have the plans for it, I can easily rebuild it, it was a prototype, now I can make it better and more efficient, it's not a huge loss," he looked down a little sadly.

"Still, I know how much it meant to you, it can't be easy," she looked lifted her head to keep her mouth above water.

"You got to see it, that's the main thing, I wanted you to see that I didn't leave you for nothing," he said doing the same as her.

"I never thought that," she defended.

"Come now, Helen, I saw the hurt in your eyes when I told you I was leaving for Budapest, I left without a goodbye, your first letter in response started with how could you, Helen, spare my feelings and be honest with me, you didn't want me to leave then and the only reason you came is to convince me to go back with you!"

Helen was about to retort when the tunnel seemed to shake, and the handle she was dangling from broke off sending her into the water, the heavy layers dragging her down. She inhaled water and she fought to swim up, her eyes seeing nothing but dark in the water, and her need to breathe causing her to thrash hopelessly until she felt a hand on her, a small light from a small device.

Nikola swam to her and wrapped his arms around her waist protectively before catching her lips in a strong kiss.

Her mind wondered for a moment; what was he doing? Choosing now to kiss her! What about up above when she could breathe? Why didn't he kiss her then? But she was breathing…well not really breathing, but she wasn't choking anymore, he wasn't kissing her, he was sharing air, keeping her alive.

Best survival method she's ever heard of.

Her hands tangled into his hair, and she closed her eyes, feeling his lips gently caressing hers, his arms holding her so strongly, she got lost in it.

Until the water level dropped, and her nostrils hit air and her feet hit the floor.

His lips left hers and he let out a long sigh.

"Whew! Who knew drowning could be such a party," he laughed, coughing slightly.

"That's a useful little underwater breathing technique, where'd you learn it?" she looked at him.

"You don't want to know," he shook his head.

"Lets get out of here, you'll catch your death of cold," he smirked.

She shivered slightly.

"Yes, I could use a cup of tea and a warm fire, right now," she realized his arms were still securely around her.

"I can only promise to provide one of those things, Paris is much more known for its coffee," he grinned.

"Then you can heat up some brandy," she laughed and extricated herself from his wet embrace.

"How about a glass of wine next to the fireplace?" he offered.

"Add a French pastry into that and you've got yourself a date," she joked.

"And what a lovely date I'm sure," he chuckled.

He found the exit to the tunnel and they were up into the cool evening air, she wondered for a moment how long they were actually in that tunnel.

They were at his flat in no time, changed and warm again. He had made the fire, poured the wine, and sent a maid out for the pastries and was snuggled up with her. She had missed this.

"Here's to another adventure," he toasted clinking their glasses together.

She had her legs pulled up on the couch, spread out from end to end so that the fire could hit every inch of her, he was cuddled in the space between her body and the back of the couch, his head resting on her hip, his hand that held the wine draped over her side, while his free hand rested gently by her knee. She had her free hand resting on his shoulder. She was perfectly comfortable, and the chill from the water and her near cusp with death was fully out of her system.

"To tell you the truth I think this is much more enjoyable," she said with a slight sigh.

"That's the best part of an adventure, realizing it's over and your still alive!" he laughed taking a long sip from his glass, being careful not to spill on her dress.

"Nikola…you were right…down there…I want you to come home with me, those men can't hurt you back in London," she looked at him seriously.

"I know, Helen, but I can't, as long as I work at the Edison Company, I have resources to make and test my inventions, and I'm close, Helen, so close, I can't give up now," he looked at her just as sternly. "I'll keep in touch, you'll know the moment something has happened, I promise, just give me a few more months, I'll be back then," he said with a sad glint in his eye.

"And then how long will you stay, until you get bored again? Until the next whim sends you to Germany or Brazil! I get enough disappointment from false promises from my father, I don't need it from you!" she sat up, effectively disconnecting them. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Nikola, if you're not coming back with me, don't bother coming back at all!" she stood up and left coldly.

"Helen!" he called after her.

She slammed the door to her room and he led out an aggravated sigh, slamming his fist into the wood paneling of the hallway and biting back a pained cry.

Helen watched the scenery outside her train window whiz by. In her hand she held tightly in her grasp a wad of letters she had collected over the years, she opened up the window a crack, preparing to send them flying one by one into the French countryside. She stopped and let a small tear escape. The seat across from her was empty, Nikola hadn't even bothered to see her off, he had his carriage take her to the train station, but he had gone long before that. To what? To his ruined machine in the sewer? To his workbench in the Edison Company?

She wanted to hate him, but she just couldn't.

And she couldn't throw this letters out the window either, as much as she wanted to, they were the only thing she had of him to bring back.

And as the train moved farther and farther away, she held on to the letters tighter and tighter.


	18. Replaced

**Chapter 18 – Replaced**

_**~~~~Winter 1883~~~~**_

Helen laughed at John's story that he was telling to a group of guests.

She hadn't had a Christmas party for a long time and John was being the perfect co-host.

Her skills in psychiatry and medicine had helped him through his rough patch and he was better than ever. He told stories, sang songs, shared in a brandy with James, shook hands with everyone in the room, and even took the time to get her a glass of punch.

Her eyes hadn't left him all evening.

"You've been distracted all evening," said James behind her. "I'm going to assume that a certain friend of ours has captivated your attention."

"Not captivated, I'm just keeping an eye on him, he hasn't had a lot of social interaction since he's been sick," she defended, sipping her punch.

"And you have been watching him like a hawk watches a fish," he laughed.

"Have not!" she crossed her arms.

"It's not my place to say anything, just observing," he gave her a hint of a smile before walking off and joining into another discussion.

"Oh, Helen," came a voice behind her.

"Oh Mrs. Pembroke, how lovely to see you," the woman and old friend of the family, Helen had known her since she was a baby.

"Girl, you call me Nanny, you hear, I'll have none of this formality, not when I changed your diapers as a wee babe," Mrs. Pembroke wagged her finger at Helen.

"Of course," Helen smiled.

"I've been looking around all night but I haven't seen your little foreign friend, Tesla, was that his name? Every Christmas party for the last decade it seems had that young man in attendance," Nanny took Helens hand gently.

"Yes, well, he's somewhere, off on his own," shrugged Helen; Nikola was the last thing she wanted to think about right now.

"Shame, you two were quite the pair, I thought for sure you'd have his ring on your finger by now," Nanny looked at Helen's bare hand.

"We were never like that, Nanny, just friends," Helen sighed.

"You could've fooled me, I've seen man star-crossed lovers in my day, but none as much as you and that man," she let out a small chuckle. "I would so love to see my girl married before they lay me into the ground, you're like a granddaughter to me, Helen."

"And you've been even more to me," Helen looked at the elderly woman tenderly. "But I'm afraid Nikola will not be the one putting rings on this finger, his first love is his inventions."

"Well, there is that other young man whose been waiting on you all evening, Montague Druitt, he's a perfect gentleman, any father would gladly call him son," Nanny smiled sweetly.

"He is, we've been good friends for years, he has many admirable qualities," Helen's eyes trailed to John.

"Oh, I see," said the old woman, quirking her brow slightly before patting Helen's hand and walking away to talk to another guest at the party.

"Keeping up with the daily gossip?" John came up behind her, startling her slightly.

"Oh…uh, no, Mrs. Pembroke and I were just talking, she helped my father raise me, she's a lovely and wonderful woman," Helen smiled slightly.

"I'm sure she is," John said with a small grin.

He looked at some couples dancing and he smiled.

"Care for a dance, Helen?" he gestured to the other couples.

"Aren't you tired, I haven't seen you sit down all night," she teased.

"I can rest later, there are more pressing issues, like I haven't seen you dance all evening, that is much more serious," he grinned wider and took her hand.

"Just one," she sighed putting her glass down and allowing him to lead her in the gentle sway of the music.

She rested her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes slip close.

"It feels like we haven't danced in ages," he said quietly.

"We haven't, you've been sick," she said just as low. "Not like we danced a lot beforehand."

"We've danced a bit," he said softly.

"A few steps, I don't think we've ever had time to do a full dance, I don't think it counts," she muttered.

"Then lets change that," he took her hand and spun her around.

Helen laughed slightly as she twirled around the tall man.

She eventually lost herself, for a moment at least, in the arms of the Montague, finally enjoying herself in a way she hadn't in a long time.

But suddenly she was pulled back to reality by a soft tap on her shoulder.

"Ma'am, there is a gentleman at the door for you," says her butler.

"Who?" she asked.

"He did not say, all he said is that he needed to speak with you immediately, I showed him to the study," said the butler, bowing slightly before returning to his duties.

Helen looked at John.

"I'm sorry, I must see to this," she looked at him with apology.

"Let me come with you," he said.

"No, it would be horrible form if both hosts of this party disappeared, I'll be back," she bowed slightly before exiting the ballroom heading to the study.

She entered the study and saw it was empty, a deep swarm of confusion hitting her.

"I didn't think you'd leave the party," came a familiar voice behind her.

She spun around as he closed the door to the study.

"I was so sure you would make me wait, or turn me away," the familiar grin peeked from under a black fedora.

"You," she gasped out.

"Hello Helen," he stepped closer to her and she brought a hand around fast and a loud smack resounded in the room.

"You bastard!" she cried.

"Lovely to see you too," muttered Nikola, rubbing his sore cheek.

"How dare you show up unannounced like this? After what you've done!" she smacked his chest this time.

"What did I do?" he started to back away from her aggression.

"What did you do? You run away to Budapest not even a goodbye, just a mailing address and a simple sorry! You call me all the way to Paris to show me your invention, refuse to come home, ruin one of my dresses, don't write, not a word in almost over a year, I think you're dead, and then you waltz back in here like you just came back from a nightly stroll, like nothing has changed! You bastard!"

Her hand connected with his face again.

"I did pay for your fare home," he dodged her hand and hid behind the bookcase.

"Why are you here?" she yelled.

"To see you! To give you a proper apology for not writing! Anything as long as it will keep you from hitting me again!"

Helen let out a frustrated screech and chased after him, ready to kick, beat and slap him until he was a pile of black and blue goo on the floor.

"I hate you!" she threw a book at him.

"Helen, if you would let me explain!" he yelped as she tossed another book at his head.

"Explain what? How selfish you've been these last 3 years? How you've abandoned everyone who cares for you to chase some whim? How you haven't written, haven't sent any message of any kind, have missed christmases, birthdays, special events? Did you even stop once to consider how that would make us feel, how that would make me feel?" she threw another book at him.

"I'm back now!" he cried.

She growled and tossed another book.

"Talk now, or leave!" she snarled.

"Fine! I was in Strassbourg and I –"

"Wait, Strassbourg? What about Paris?" she asked.

"I finished my job for them and they stiffed me, so I left, I lost my tail in the process and I've been hiding out in Strassbourg for the last 8 months, there I managed to rebuild my machine, my glorious machine! When I was sure I was not being followed anymore I packed up my invention and made my way back here, knowing that whoever was after me wouldn't be led here! Helen, what you call my selfish actions was only to protect you and your work, your father's work!" he pleaded with her and she lowered the book in her hand.

"What do you mean?" she looked at him cautiously.

"Helen, as much as I am brilliant, those goons didn't show up until I became a vampire, now excuse me in thinking that if a vampire interests these vultures leading them to a treasure trove of abnormals would set their mouths drooling," he stepped to her.

"I knew I had to lose them before coming back to London, Helen, I just didn't think you'd understand," he looked down at his hands.

"How? How could I not?...I was so angry with you Nikola, I hated you, if you would've just been honest with me…"

"I didn't want to worry you, I wanted you to be safe, and knowing you if I was in danger you would try to help," he lifted his eyes.

"You're damn right I would!" she bit at him.

"Forgive me, Helen, but I didn't want you in that kind of position, I got rid of them on my own, I hold no regret for what I've done," he took her hands. "Please don't be angry with me, Helen."

He lightly kissed the tops of her knuckles.

Helen yanked her hands out of his.

"You are far from receiving my forgiveness," Helen said coldly.

"Nikola?" came John's voice.

"Ah, I see the welcome wagon has arrived," said Nikola bitterly.

"Not now, John, please, go back to the party," she looked at him and he nodded.

"Just, call if I can be of any assistance," he bowed his head and went back out the door.

Helen turned her gaze back to Nikola, his face had changed, from his soft gentle features to a sharper tone.

"What is this?" he looked at her like she had betrayed him.

"It's just John, you haven't forgotten, have you," she teased with just as much bitterness.

"Don't give me that, I saw the way you looked at him!" he growled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" she glared at him.

"Is he the one hat you sit in front of the fire with now? Does he accompany you on walks? Is that it now?" he glared even harder.

"What in heavens do you mean?" she cried.

"You've replaced me!" he looked at the space John had occupied.

"I have not! You are being petty and ridiculous," she was through talking with Nikola so she headed to the door.

"Don't lie to me, Helen!" he was by her in the blink of an eye and her had her pinned to the wall next to the doorframe.

"Is he your best friend now?" Nikola's demeanor shifted again, from the dark betrayal to sad eyes, like a child.

"Of your current actions of late, yes, he is. He has been with me through all of it, everything you put me through he was there! You abandoned all of us, Nikola! Me especially! You were my closest friend for years loner than any of them and you left! Just like that! He stayed, and unlike you, he will always stay!" she pushed him away from her and left the study.

John, who had been waiting outside diligently watched her walk out, noticing how upset she was made his blood boil and he walked in and grabbed the Serbian by the throat.

"What did you say to her?" he growled.

"The affairs between me and Helen are none of you business, Druitt!" spat Nikola, choking slightly at the man's strong grip.

"She doesn't need this from you, Tesla! You should leave now before you cause any more trouble!"

"I won't step a foot unless at Helen's request, this is her home and she has not thrown me out yet!" Nikola kicked the man in the chest and the grip on his throat loosened. "I suggest you get back to your party, it's quite rude for the host to abandon his guests so early in the evening.

Nikola straightened himself, glaring at John bitterly.

"I suggest you run back to Paris, or wherever you came from and you stay away from Helen, old boy," John towered over him menacingly, whispering calmly, enough to want to send shivers up any lesser man's spine.

"Do you intend to you your gift and send me there yourself?" challenged Nikola and John's resolved weakened a fraction. He was trying to use it as little as possible since his illness.

"Stay away, Nikola, you hurt her once before, I won't let you get away with it again," with that John turned on his heel and out of the study to find Helen and return both of them to the party.

Nikola just stood, still as a statue in the study.

Had it been a mistake to return to the people he had abandoned?

Had he truly been replaced?


	19. Night Chill

Chapter 19 – Night Chill

_**~~~~April, 1884~~~~**_

Nikola looked at his prototype device speculatively, writing down in his notebook as he went.

He had been staying precariously in the Sanctuary since he arrived from Strassbourg several months ago.

Helen had allowed him to stay, as bitter as she was, John of course was not happy, James held his own measure of distaste, though Nigel was happy enough to clasp Nikola on the back.

Nikola had kept to himself and his machine for the majority of the last few months, hoping that enough time will pass for Helen to forgive him; he was just trying to give her space.

He sat down and looked at his blueprints, making small adjustments here and there.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," said Helen, she came around into his view and he let a small smile crest his lips as his eyes rested upon her.

"I wasn't expecting you to come…" he started and Helen shook her head.

"I've been petty, and it's been unfair to you, I am very grateful for your patience," she smiled slightly at him.

"You had every right to be upset with me, I had been quite unfair to you as well," he took her hand.

"Will you forgive me if I forgive you?" she looks at him.

"Of course," he looked at her with a slight hint of suspicion. "What brought this on, if I may ask?"

"I've just been thinking lately, that's all," she nodded her head and looked away at his machine. "Is this the prototype for you generator?"

He nodded.

"Yes, again, it's not complete, it's like a sculpture, I keep chipping away at it until it is at the height of its efficiency," he smiled proudly at it as he spoke.

"I'm sure it will be a marvel once it's done," she looked at him.

"It's art, Helen, art is never completely done, only improved little by little," his eyes came in contact with hers. "I missed you, Helen."

She broke the eye contact and looked back at his invention.

"I haven't stopped thinking of you since I left, I only left because I didn't want to put you in danger, the truth is Helen…you are very important to me," he took her hand again and kissed the top of it. "It's taken me this long to realize how much…"

Helen stopped him.

"Please stop, Nikola, it's not the time for it," she pulled her hand out of his.

"No, I think this is something you need to here, it will explain everything," Nikola stepped closer.

"Not now Nikola," she stepped back.

Nikola sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Fine…when you're ready," he turned back to his blueprints rather disheartened.

"Let us be friends again, Nikola, then we can get back to talking so personally," she stepped up again. "I feel as if we hardly know each other anymore."

Nikola nodded.

"I see, well, maybe you can join me for lunch," he looked at her again.

"Not today Nikola, but sometime soon," she smiled honestly at him.

"Ok," he turned back to the blueprint.

"What are you working on?" she stepped up to him, peering over his shoulder.

"Just making some notes," he muttered.

"About your device?" she asked.

"Of course," he shrugged.

"What do you call it?"

"The Electro-magnet Rotating Electrical Conductor motor," he said.

Helen laughed.

"It needs a better name," she sighed.

"Then you name it!" he huffed.

"EREC," she mumbled.

"Eric?"

"E-R-E-C, EREC, clever, no?" she grins proudly.

"No," he glares flatly.

She frowns.

"It's easier to say," she teased.

"But it's confusing," he turned and headed back to the machine.

"Well it's better then Electro Magnet Rotating Conductor, people don't like things that take them five minutes to say, call it an induction motor!"

"Now there is something clever, how did you know?" he stared at her incredulously.

"I may have gazed at your notes from time to time," she smirked.

"You minx," he stared at her.

She laughed and pecked him on the cheek.

"Will we see you at dinner tonight?" she said as she sauntered over to the door.

"Possibly," he grinned at her as she left.

"I'll keep a plate warm," she walked out and was met with the dark glare of John Druitt.

"Have a nice chat with Tesla," he probed.

"John, don't scare me like that," she put a hand to her heart.

"Forgive me Helen, I was just curious," his eyes lightened and Helen let out a sigh of relief.

"It was a talk long overdue, to be sure," she said taking John's arm.

"Indeed, the tensions in this house have been rather thick as of late," said John walking in step with her. "Did you tell him?"

"Tell him what?" Helen looked up at the tall man.

"About us? He should know of our courting," John stopped Helen to look at her sternly.

"A time will come when it is right, I can't just dump the whole load on him at once."

"What if he tries to make a move on you again?" John took her hand.

"He has never tried, what are you talking about?" Helen looked at John suspiciously.

"Please Helen, the man nearly undressed you with his eyes every time you walk into the room…need I remind you of that night in the alley!" barked John.

"That wasn't his fault, he was overcome," Helen yanked her hands out of Johns and proceeded to walk with a faster pace.

"You can't deny that you have not noticed the way he looks at you, the way he regards you, Helen, it is best you tell him the truth before he gets any ideas," John followed after her.

"And I will, just give it time, I promise you he won't steal me away from you," she turned and softly caressed his cheek.

"Why are you trying to protect his feelings, Helen?" asked John sincerely.

"He is my friend, has been for a long time…I will tell him when I am ready," she let out a long breath and stepped out on to the balcony.

"Helen, if he is truly your friend he will be happy for you…for us," he followed and put his hand on her shoulder. "We've been courting secretly for months because you wanted to tell him yourself, now you have that chance."

"Everything as been so frayed between us since Paris, I don't want him to leave again…you didn't se the disappointment in his eyes when he figured out the growth in our friendship, how do you think he will take the news of our courtship?" she pulled a stray blonde lock from her face.

"Are you ashamed of it, Helen?" John stepped up to her and Helen shook her head.

"Of course not, I have never been so happy…I guess I just want Nikola to be happy for us too," she looked down and John cupped her chin in his fingers.

"Nikola's opinion shouldn't matter," he leant down and kissed her softly, like he had the first time they kissed. Helen had been bitter after Nikola's abandonment of her in Paris and his one kiss had blown it all away. In that moment she knew that she would love John for a long time.

The kiss deepened as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and his hand lowered to her waist.

It made her feel lighter than air…until a lead bolt dragged her all the way down.

She saw something in her peripheral vision. A figure watching in the archway.

She turned her gaze a fraction and was met with a pair of blue-grey eyes, heartbroken blue-grey eyes.

She pulled away from John but in that instant the figure had disappeared back into the shadows.

"What is it?" asked John.

"Oh…nothing…just a night chill, may we go inside?" she looked at him and he nodded.

He led her off the balcony and back into the house.

A part of her wanted to separate from John and find the figure that had so silently watched them and explain herself and the situation to him and apologize.

The other, crueler, part of her wanted nothing more than to let that dark creature sneak back into its shadows and weep for it's cowardice. She had earned the right to be happy with a man who put her first above all his other loves. She deserved to find a stable man who didn't run away with the wind and leave false promises.

The second part won, and she let John escort her to the parlor as they waited for dinner to be ready.

Nikola did not join them.


	20. Lonely Figure

Chapter 20 – Lonely Figure

_**~~~~May 21, 1884~~~~**_

_Dear Mr. Charles Batchelor,_

_I request a letter of recommendation…_

Nikola packed his small menagerie of items into his travel bag, almost meticulous in their order.

He kept his jaw clenched as he did so, not wishing to voice his disappointments even to himself.

He had overstayed his welcome at a place he had once considered his home, now it felt like a torture chamber. Every day he saw them together, holding hands, sharing secret kisses when they think no one is watching, but he is.

He was going away, tonight, he was sure no one would notice until it was too late.

Nikola packed the rest of his meager things including his prototype machine in a tightly secured crate. His carriage would be waiting at midnight to take him to the harbor, from the harbor he would board a ship, and that ship would take him as far as he needed to go to escape this hell.

He had called upon Charles Batchelor for a letter of recommendation, which he would personally hand over to Edison himself, and from there he would show him his design for a more efficient electrical system.

Nikola had it all planned out. He would make a name for himself outside the wall of the Sanctuary. Maybe then Helen would see.

He stopped and closed his eyes, his heart felt like it was tearing apart every time he thought of them. The pain was crippling at times.

He shook his head of the thoughts.

Helen had every right to make her own mistakes, John was certainly one of them, but it was too late to change anything now.

He should've told her sooner, he should've confessed to her in Paris, or that night so many years ago when they had kissed under the stars.

Then it would be Johnny watching from the shadows, watching him with his arms wrapped around Helen's waist, his kisses on her cheeks.

John didn't care for Helen like he did, John didn't love her like he did, all John saw in her was her beauty, how good she looked on his arm when they went to the opera, the pride when other men would turn from their own wives to glance in marvel at her. The attention fed John, and it made Nikola sick.

Nikola never cared about what the rest of the world thought, all he wanted was Helen, for purely selfish reasons, he wanted to make her smile and laugh, watch her dress and undress, watch her sleep and wake, hold her, love her, spend his eternity waiting on her, walking with her, dancing with her. That was love!

But he had been a coward, and let her slip away.

If only she knew that all he had done was for her. Then she would see how much he loved her.

That's why he was going to America, back to that Edison Company, right to the source; his invention would show her and the world that he was worth something.

It had to.

He heard her laughter outside his window and he stopped what he was doing and went to peer out of it. He rested his hands on the sill as he watched her in the garden. She, James and John were having afternoon tea, as always, the three of them were as predictable as clockwork.

Helen stood up from her chair and made her way over to one of the well-kept flowerbeds, she smiled at the white roses and picked one of them, smelling it. She had always loved spring, especially when the flowers started to bloom.

He watched her intently.

She was so graceful; time, with her, seemed to slow, seconds ticked by as she walked back to the table.

Nikola rested his palm on the pane, as if to reach out and touch her.

She stopped, as if she had felt his hand on her, her eyes darting up to the window where he was. He backed away, hoping he hadn't been seen. But he still watched as she looked into the window, he could just see the hint of blue in her eyes. She turned her head and went back to the two men on the veranda, ignoring him, like she always did.

He crept back to the window and watched her, his breathing sounded loud and labored, and his heart felt like it was beating itself out of his chest to fly out the window and join her. Every thing inside him longed to be around her, and he was dragging himself further and further away.

John leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek; Nikola averted his gaze, the spell broken. He hated that man more than anything, he always had, and he should've expressed his distaste for him when they had met, Helen would've apologized and they would've parted ways and she would be his and only his. He let them get close, he let him steal her away, but once John let go of his vice like grip on Helen's heart he would take her back, and he would never let go.

Nikola turned away from the window, going back to his bag.

His misery weighing heavy on him as he slowly put the rest of his items in the bag; shirts, trousers, pictures, tools, little things that meant nothing to no one but him.

He felt time slip away as candles replaced sunlight, and the warm air turned a fraction colder.

Nikola grabbed his coat, hat, and gloves, slipping them on quietly. There was no fire in his fireplace; he had his boat tickets, travel papers, letter, and cash neatly tucked into his breast pocket; and he had a carriage waiting several blocks away.

He would slip away silently, that way he wouldn't be missed.

He grabbed his case and quietly turned the doorknob and snuck out of his old room into the dark hallway.

He had one last thing to do before he could leave this place forever. He lowered his bag to the floor and slowly creeped his way to the room at the end of the corridor, opening the door without making a sound and entering the dark room.

The fire crackled in one corner casting shadows along the walls.

Nikola reached into his vest and pulled out another letter, he stepped up to the bed and placed the small handwritten note on the bedside table.

He looked at the sleeper, her blonde hair flowing around the pillow, the moonlight peeking past her dark curtains to cast shine over her face. Nikola gently sat at the edge of the bed and leaned over her ear.

"Helen…I'm going to go away again…" he whispered to her, "…and I won't be coming back…not until you need me again."

Nikola looked at her peaceful face, he reached a hand to brush a stray lock from her face. He leaned down slowly and let their lips just touch. How he wished her still lips would animate and kiss back.

His eyes closed in a moment of pretend then he pulled back, scrubbing a hand over his face, muffling his small whimper.

He stood up quickly and left without looking back; he knew that if he looked back his legs would cease to move.

He picked his bag back up and exited the Sanctuary, never turning his head to look behind him.

Helen woke up, her eyes cracking open. She could've sworn someone was in the room with her just a moment before. She still felt the ghost of his touch on her skin, hear the heel of his boots click as they made their way down the hallway.

She sat up quickly and headed straight for the window, a shudder of thunder breaking up the silence of the night, and the rain came down quickly, soon drenching the world around her. And in the rain was a figure dressed all in black, head held low against the sudden onslaught of rain, walking down the path to the front gate, a single bag in his possession, not even an umbrella to accompany him. Just a lone figure.

It may have been the same one watching her and John on the balcony, or that she saw in the window earlier that day. The same lonely figure, moving back into the shadows.

He stopped just outside the gate and turned only so slightly that she saw a pair of say grey eyes, staring longingly back at her before ducking back under the hat, back into the shadows.

Then all the figure was, was a memory.


	21. Ditches of Misery (1)

Chapter 21 - Ditches of Misery Part 1

_**~~~~New York, 1887~~~~**_

Walls of mud.

Up to his neck; his head barely peaked over the top of it.

The mud sucked at his shoes and climbed up his pant leg like a claw of some monster, yearning to swallow him up.

He hated mud, always did, even when he was a child. Back in the village of Smiljan, after heavy rainfall, the other children would run and jump into the massive murky puddles on the road towards the schoolhouse, getting their shoes, socks, and those of the ones standing around them all dirty with the filthy, muddy water. Nikola, at the young age of 8 had become an expert at avoiding these puddles and the young boys who got immense joy out of ruining the new dresses of the girls.

Nikola never found the joy in being dirty.

The other men in the ditches sung and whistled over the course of the day, stopping for lunch and laughing and joking with each other, just happy to be alive and making money to feed their families. But Nikola wanted more than that.

Nikola had no one to work this hard for, just himself, and he was better than this. This wasn't so his kids could eat, so his wife could feel pretty, safe, and secure, this wasn't even so he could occupy his time doing work.

This was temporary. He had plans, which is more than he could say for the rest of the low lives working in this ditch.

He heard the bell to signify their fifteen-minute lunch break.

Nikola didn't need to eat, so he kept digging, if he stopped he would realize just how far in hole he had fallen, and he didn't need that. If he kept working, he could keep dreaming.

He wiped his muddy hands on his pants. The sweat dripped from his forehead and mixed with the mud on his face, causing a small stream of murky brown to color his vision.

He wanted out, had to find a way out, if he kept digging maybe he could dig his way out, a tunnel straight to the top again, where he belonged.

"Nik, stop working for once, the ditch isn't going to fill up if you aren't constantly digging in it, take a rest," said a butch man named Forest. The only man in the ditch he considered having half a brain, they had sort of befriended each other.

"I'm not tired," muttered Nikola.

"But you must be hungry, I have some spare chicken in my box if you want," offered Forest.

"I don't eat, it's fine, I'm just going to keep working," Nikola shoved the spade deep into the mud.

"Fine, just remember, you're paid by per day, not by the amount of dirt you drudge up," joked Forest.

"Understood," Nikola waved him off and continued digging.

He was going to get out, by every mound of dirt he was going to get out.

Thunder cracked in the grey sky and a sheet of rain swept across him, coming down in heavy, thick sheets, it soaked his clothes, it collected from the road and poured in streams into the ditch to pool around his knees.

Nikola kept digging.

This hole he had dug himself, he couldn't see the sun out the top of it. He was in deep, and he was never going to get out of it.

A crack of lightning broke him out of his thoughts and he looked up, his tired, stained face, gazing up to look at the resurrecting surge of blue light. His hope.

He fell against the mud wall, his eyes fixed upwards.

The lightning cracked the sky again, and Nikola could swear it looked like a bird.

His exhaustion took over him then and he slid down to sit in the mud, his head resting against the wall. He closed his eyes, the rain falling on him. If only he could drown in the cool water, stopping this nightmare.

When had it become evening? The sun, hidden behind the rain clouds was setting, the air was getting cooler, and the rain kept pouring. How long had he been here?

He heard a horse-drawn car on the road. It stopped and the door opened. A foot reached out and hit the cracked pavement.

The other men were done for the day, collecting their pay and packing up their lunch tins and paper bags and booking it to catch a ride back into the heart of Manhattan or Brooklyn, where ever the assorted bunch lived.

He had nowhere to go.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find..." he heard a voice but decided to ignore it.

He got up and continued digging, there was nothing left for him but this.

"He's right over there, Miss."

"Thank you," she handed the man a dollar for his services and he nodded and went his way.

She made her way across the muddy plains of the old road to the mile long ditch that lined the side of it.

She could see one lone head bobbing just over the top of it.

It had been almost 4 years but she had finally found him.

She came to the edge of the ditch and looked down.

"Hello, Nikola," she said.

He looked up, his eyes wide.

"H-Helen?" he looked at her, a vision, just as he remembered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here looking for you, I heard your stint at the Edison company didn't go well, that you were working in the ditches just to feed yourself, I had to come," she kneeled down.

"Had to see it for yourself, eh?" Nikola dismissed and kept digging. "The genius working in a ditch, I bet John's laughing up a storm."

"John doesn't know I'm here, none of them do, I came here for you, to help you Nikola," she said sincerely.

What a miserable state he was in. Drenched, mud-covered, and bitter. The light that was once in those beautiful eyes had faded. They were simply grey with disappointment. His journey to America didn't fulfill his dreams the way he had hoped, she had read the letter he had left her. He had come here to make something of himself, instead he found himself cheated and rejected, forced to make his living clawing at the mud on the roadside.

"I don't need help, Helen, yes this is a bit of a drawback in my plans, but I'll make it out of here, what's the point of dreaming if you can't work for it," he shoved the spade into the mud.

"Will you stop, Nikola! For once put your pride aside and get out of the hole you've dug yourself into," Helen fumed and offered her white gloved hand.

Nikola sighed and dropped the spade.

"Fine," he muttered and climbed up the rickety ladder out on to the rain stroked street, the rain washing away the mud almost instantly.

Helen held an umbrella above her head shielding her from the rain.

He looked at her warily and she kept her hand outreached for him.

"Come on, I am starved, join me?" she invited.

"I'm hardly dressed for a fancy dinner," Nikola looked down at his ratty garments.

"I can fix that," Helen smiled affectionately at him.

He took her hand and she led him back to her car.

She tapped the side once they were inside and the car started to move.

"Now, where do you live? We can stop and you can get your things."

"All I have is what you see, Helen," he gestured to the ratty suit pants, work shirt, and grey cap that adorned his person. He had a few days worth of stubble on his cheeks, not including the thick, ratty, ungroomed mustache atop his upper lip.

"You must have something," she said.

"I sold what I had to make ends meet, the only things I have left are worthless knickknacks. I live in a box, Helen, a box with a door, a small little cot and a piece of glass taped to the wall for a mirror, I rather not you see the state to which I'm reduced to," he sighed, staring out the window.

"Alright...we'll go to my hotel, you can bathe, I'll have the concierge bring you some fresh clothes, some attire worth a dinner of my standards, and we can pretend that you are a famous inventor, and I am a beautiful doctor regaling over the past," she smiled softly.

"But I'm not a famous inventor, and as far as I know they still don't let women practice medicine unless as a nurse..."

"That's why I said we're going to pretend, please Nikola, for once can you put your cynicism aside and just go with me on this," Helen took his hand in hers and squeezed it.

He looked at her hand for a long time.

"Please, Nikola, for me," she said softly.

"Alright...for you," he said and Helen smiled.

"Thank you," she lifted up the top of his hand to her lips and kissed it lightly, squeezing it one more time.

She released his hand and he tucked it on to his lap, looking at it for a moment.

He shifted his weight and looked out on to the rain swept streets of New York as the car took them into the heart of the magnificent city to the front steps of a fancy hotel.

A doorman stood at the front welcoming in the guests.

The whole scene felt daunting to Nikola, he was horribly under-dressed for the bums on this street, let alone to actual enter the building.

"They can't turn you away if I don't want them to," Helen seemed to have read his mind, her hands found themselves to his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"I don't think that's true," he looked at the large building and swallowed the knot in his throat.

"Nonsense, come," she took his hand again and led him out of the car.

She flashed a bright smile at the doorman.

"Evening Roger," she said to him and he smiled back at her.

"I see you found you're friend," he gestured to Nikola.

"Yes, he may not look like much but I plan to clean him up," Helen tugged Nikola along.

"You've told them about me?" Nikola said, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

"I just told them the reason for my visit, which was to find an old friend who was hiding in the ditches, which is the truth," she pulled him through the lobby to the front desk.

"Miss Magnus, lovely to see you...is this the man?" said the concierge.

Nikola removed his filthy cap revealing his shaggy, messy hair.

"Yes, you will reserve my table for 8:oo won't you?" said Helen taking her key.

"Of course, Madame," bowed the concierge.

"Thank you," she bowed her head to him and tugged Nikola to the elevator, the bellhop closing the door after them.

"Third floor please," she said to the man and she looked at Nikola. "I remembered the third floor was always your favorite."

Nikola kept his eyes down; he didn't want to see the look in the bellhop's eyes. He knew what he must be thinking. He didn't belong here, not yet.

They elevator stopped and Helen led him to the hotel room.

Room 303.

He smirked weakly.

"Here we are, make yourself comfortable, I'll start working on that bath, you get out of those rags," she removed her hat and her hair flowed down, long blonde and curly, just like he remembered it.

He looked down at himself and shrugged and kicked of his holey shoes, his toes peeked out of the worn socks. He removed the ratty woolen overcoat and folded it on bed. He dropped the grey wool cap on top of it.

He silently removed the rest of his clothes save for his white undergarments.

All he neatly folded into one pile, even stuffing the socks into the shoes for safekeeping.

Helen returned and smiled at her old friend.

"That's better," she came over and looked at his shaggy mop of hair, it had definitely seen better days, it was matted and crusted with mud, like everything else of Nikola's. "I'll have to do something with your hair, but no matter."

She took his hand and led him to the bathroom.

The large tub sat in the middle of the candlelit room.

"Hop in," Helen ordered.

"Stop mothering me," mumbled Nikola and Helen laughed dryly.

"Someone has to," she pushed him to the tub.

"Then let my mother do it, she's still living," he whined.

"She's unavailable but she gave me full permission to take over for her responsibilities," she teased.

He grumbled something incoherent and climbed into the oversized gravy boat.

"I have some clothes for you, they're James' you two were close to the same size, the shirt will be a bit baggy but it's clean," she said.

"I don't need all this charity, Helen," Nikola sat in the warm water.

Helen tossed him a bar of soap.

"Wash," she said as she continued to lay out the clothes for him. "The shoes are from John, they might be a bit big but they should be comfortable."

Nikola sighed inaudibly.

"I thought you said they didn't know you were here," commented Nikola.

"They don't, but unlike you we still live in the same place, we're still a team, and despite what you think but you are still very much apart of that team, we would do anything for you," Helen finished laying out the clothes then came over to the tub and dumped a bucket overtop of Nikola's head. He gasped, not expecting it.

She stole the bar of soap and made a lather in her hands and shoved the soapy fluff through his dark, messy hair.

He gripped the sides of the tub as she roughly cleaned his mud-cracked head.

"Close your eyes," she ordered.

"What?"

She poured another bucket of water over his head and a cascade of soap came down over him.

He sputtered slightly.

"There, much better," Helen walked away. "Keep washing."

Nikola grumped but did as he was told and washed the pale grimy skin he found attached to himself.

Helen return with a comb and pair of scissors and what looked like James' shaving kit. She handed him a hand mirror and the shaving cream.

He looked at it oddly.

"If I were you I would shave that hairy caterpillar off your face before it sprouts legs and walks away," she muttered before running the comb through Nikola hair, roughly combing out the mats and knots that had built up in there.

"It's a little unkempt, but I still think it makes me look handsome," he grinned, for the first time that evening and Helen was happy to see it.

"At least shave the stubble, it makes you look like a drunk bum," she took the scissors and started to trim his hair.

"As you wish, my lady," he said sardonically.

The two worked in a comfortable silence; it almost felt like old times, Nikola was slightly surprised to realize how much he missed it.

Helen finished his hair to a length of her liking and washed her hands in the tub water.

"Finish up, we have dinner in an hour," she said with a smile. "There is some of James' cologne, I hope it's not too strong, and some of Nigel's hair slick, make yourself look nice."

Helen left the bathroom and went to change her own dress, the rain had muddied up the one she was wearing, as was to be suspected.

She looked at the neatly folded piles of rags that were Nikola's work clothes; maybe she can have the bellhop burn them while they're out for dinner.

She scoffed, and burn the only thing he apparently owns, Nikola would have a fit, and everything between them was already so fragile.

The two young chambermaids assisted her with her dress. She insisted on looking after Nikola herself; he had a hard enough time accepting her help, she couldn't imagine the difficulty he would cause if he had to accept help from strangers.

She was changed into an appropriate dinner gown, a dress John had purchased for her. She lifted the chain around her neck to reveal a small jeweled ring. John's ring. They had been engaged for almost two years. John wanted to complete law school before the wedding. John refused to have his wedding to Helen be an act of charity from a friend of Helens fathers, though many had offered. Helen allowed him the time to get his liscense and work at the school. Maybe that's why she was here. She couldn't get married without Nikola's blessing, which wouldn't be easy.

She put the ring on the necklace so she wouldn't have to bring it up until she was ready.

It took her too long to find her old friend. It wasn't until James contacts had found him in that bloody ditch, knee-high in misery that they had heard any news about him.

She was going to take him home now, and everything was going to be fine.

After she was dressed, she ordered a bottle of wine from the hotel and waited for Nikola to finish in the bathroom.

She had drunk a whole glass before he disembarked from the washroom.

He came out fully dressed, cleanshaven - aside from the mustache - and hair perfectly slicked back. He looked like the old Nikola again. The suit fit him perfectly, just like she knew it would.

"I knew there was a gentleman behind all that grime," Helen grinned.

"Very funny," he said coming up to her. "You clean up well, yourself."

He gestured to her new dress.

"Here," she handed him the glass of wine.

He smiled tiredly and took it.

"Thank you," he sipped it carefully. "...For everything Helen."

Helen stood up and kissed him on the cheek.

"We have dinner reservations," she took his arm; she escorted him outside.

"At least now I look the part," Nikola half-joked.

"I wish you had shaved that thing off," teased Helen.

"Not going to happen," sighed Nikola.

Helen smiled at him.

"Face it Nikola, not even a ditch as deep as that one could change who you are," she looked at him softly.

"You're probably right, just doesn't feel like that right now," sighed Nikola.

"Now look, we're going to go down there, have a nice meal, as friends, forget the ditch, forget Edison, just you and me, can we do that? I haven't seen you in four years, I didn't come here for a pity party, I came here to find you."

Nikola looked at her as she spoke.

"Of course we can...for you," he sighed and they continued walking towards the elevator.

"Come on, it will be fun," she smiled her bright beautiful smile and he followed her into the metal car.

It was just dinner, what could go wrong?


	22. Ditches of Misery (2)

Chapter 22 - Ditches Of Misery Part 2

Nikola and Helen ate and drank in the hotel's fancy dining hall, just like it was old times. Helen told him all about London and the Sanctuary, all that he had missed during the last 4 years.

Nikola remained remarkably quiet during the whole dinner, listening intently, cradling his glass of wine as she spoke.

It was unsettling to Helen. She had never seen Nikola so attentive, yet distant. He seemed so disconnected with everything, especially her. She wondered if it was because he was uncomfortable in this rich lifestyle after spending so much time need deep in the trenches of New York, or if it was her.

His eyes seemed tired. Never fully making contact with hers, like he didn't want her to see how fully grey they had become.

"Nikola?" she questioned him over her dessert.

"Yes," he responded softly, like he had all evening.

"What's wrong?" she looked at him but his eyes remained fixed to his wine glass.

"How do you mean?" he said.

"Well, we've been here for nearly an hour, I haven't stopped talking, but you have barely said a word, we both know that's not like you," she reached her hand over to his.

"It's nothing Helen, I've enjoyed hearing your stories, I just have known of my own...none that you already don't know," he finally looked up at her.

"Please, you must have one story," she pressed, taking his hand with a soft squeeze.

"What's there to tell, Helen? I came, I tried, and I failed, not much else to it," he sighed.

"Nikola, come home, please," she took his hand in a tighter grip. "I want you to come home, back with all of us, thats where you belong, not here, not in those ditches. I can see they've already sucked the life out of you and you have only been here for 3 or so years."

"I can't go back, Helen," he drowned the rest of his wine.

"Why not?" she pleaded.

"Bcause going back is an admission of defeat and I can't do that, I won't crawl back to James, John, and Nigel with my tail tucked between my legs. I don't need their pity, and I certainly don't need their judgement."

"Will you let your pride go for once? You are not a failure, and they will not treat you like one. I do not see a failure in you, Nikola. You were cheated by Edison, that is a failure on his part, not yours," Helen argued.

"You have more faith in me than I do, Helen," he said sadly.

"Yes I do, so come back to London with me, please," her big blue eyes begged him.

"This was a mistake," Nikola sighed and stood up, straightening his clothes and walking out of the ballroom with his head held low.

Helen stood up and followed after him.

"Why are you so adamant to stay away from me?" she got into the elevator with him.

"Really Helen?" he sighed as she shoved him to the far wall of the elevator. "Third floor please."

"Where are you going?"Helen huffed at him.

"I'm going back to grab my clothes, and then i'm going to leave," he glared at her.

"I won't let you," she glard back.

"Helen, I am stronger than you, and you know that if I have to I can toss you across the room, so don't be stupid," he growled at her. The Bellhop kept looking forward trying to stay as far out of the couples business as the elevator would allow.

"You don't have a key," she challenged.

"I don't need one!" he spat at her and she growled angrily.

"You are such a child, Nikola!"

"Oh, I'm the child! I don't need your charity Helen, you throw me into your clean suits, your fresh perfumes and your fancy dinners and you think you own me! I am not going home with you Helen!"

The elevator stopped and the Bellhop quickly opened the door and he pushed past her, quickly pacing down the hallway.

Helen quickened her pace to get to the door before he did.

"I won't let you do this, Nikola! You're going to destroy yourself!" she stood in front of the door.

"Helen, get out of my way," he clenched his hands to prevent them from becoming claws.

"I know you think I don't care, but I do, I hate seeing you like this, I hate that I drove you away, you're here because I abandoned you when all you tried to do was protect me, I was angry at you. All I want is to make things right between us, Nikola. You think it's pity, but it's remorse, I am responsible for this, not you! You are not a failure, Nikola! I am!" Helen blinked away the hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Don't say that, Helen? I didn't leave because of you, I left because...because of other things, but certainly not you...You had every right to hate me," he calmed down slightly.

"Then come home, Nikola, there is nothing wrong if you come home," she grasped him arm.

He eyed the chain on her neck and lifted out from underneath the fabric of the dress. Admiring it sadly.

"You don't think I notice it but I do," he said sternly.

Helen felt shame creep inside her chest, all her argument gone mute.

"How long?" he asked.

"Almost two years now," she said quietly.

"I wish you and John every happiness," muttered Nikola bitterly. He pushed past her and used his claws to pick the door open.

Helen watched him walk into the dimly lit room and remove the dinner jacket as he returned to the piles of dirty rags he called clothes.

"Is that it, Nikola? You won't come back because of me and John?" she closed th door behind her. A blinding anger filling her. "Of all the arrogant, egotistical, moronic reasons!"

"John doesn't want me there, just as much as I don't want him there!" barked Nikola.

"That is ridiculous!"

"Really, Helen, I don't understand what you see in that boor, he has the kindness of a piranha!" Nikola ripped of the cravat and tossed it carelessly on the floor.

"You bastard!" growled Helen.

"He sees you as a prize, Helen, a beautiful accessory that no one else has, that is the extent of his affection!"shouted Nikola.

"And what? You know what love is? Who have you ever loved?" she spat.

He didn't answer, just removed the cufflinks from the shirtsleeves.

"And now the great inventor is at loss for words," Helen glared at him. "Leave then, go back to that mud covered hole you call life and stay there!"

"I will!" he barked.

"Fine!" she looked away from him, determined not to let him see how much this was killing her.

He removed the suspenders roughly and hastily moved to the buttons.

Helen sat down on the small settee and bit her lip. She was not going to give him the satisfaction of letting him see her cry, she couldn't.

"What a bloody mess?" the words escaped her lips in a soft whisper and she heard Nikola sigh behind her.

"Helen," he said softly.

"Don't," she whimpered, trying to keep herself strong.

"Helen," he tried again.

"I said don't, just finish what you came to do and leave!" she spat, her resolve slowly weakening beneath the glow of the fire.

He had on his own shirt now, but he still wore the trousers she had given him. He slowly walked over to her and kneeled before her.

"Helen," he said one more time and like a broken dam the tears came flooding.

"It's such a mess, Nikola," she whimpered. "It's such a ruddy awful mess. We used to be so close, what's happened to us?"

"Life," he answered simply.

"But why? Why did we let it get this way?" she bit her lip as she cried.

Nikola pulled out a handkercheif from his pocket and handed it to her. She dabbed her eyes.

"Things happen," Nikola sighed.

"Why can't we just go back?" she looked at him, her blue eyes all big and sad.

"We can't," Nikola looked at her, his hand rested on her knee. "I'm afraid we're both in too deep to climb out of these holes."

Helen sniffled.

"Do you hate me because I've fallen in love with John, do you resent this engagement, please, tell me the truth," she rested her hand on top of his.

"I could never hate you, Helen," he sighed.

"But you hate that I'm marrying John, I know you do, you've always resented my friendship with John, you thought you were hiding it but I know you too secretly size each other up all the time, it's like a competition," she looked at him seriously.

"He's gaining a lifelong partner and you are losing a good friend, you feel betrayed and abandoned," she continued.

"Is that all you think you mean to me, Helen? You were more than just a close friend, a close friend is someone you mourn over when they die, you...are a lot more than that," he kept his hand on her knee.

"Was I the prize for this competition?" she asked.

"Helen, why would you ask that?" he huffed.

"This all started when you learned that John was courting me!" she felt the anger return with a flood of emotion.

"No, this all started when I was transformed into this freak of nature! It's all I have now! If I go back there I'm just another one of those monsters in a cage waiting to be studied on by the great Helen Magnus and her lackeys! I am cursed with these fangs Helen! These fangs and claws and black eyes that terrify you, and I know it does! You tremble at the thought of them, I can smell your anxiety, hear the rush of blood pump through your rapidly beating heart! Do you know how it feels to have the person you trust more than anything be afraid of you! It's like seeing somebody you know and telling them they have only a few hours to live, or...watching someone you love marry the wrong man..."

He turned away from her.

"Nikola...I."

"Look at me, Helen!" he turned around, completely transformed. "I am the thing of nightmares!"

Helen jumped slightly at his pale face, long pointy teeth and sharp claws. But wasn't afraid of them. She knew he would never hurt her. She pulled of her long white gloves dropping them on the table in front of them and reached her bare hands to cup his cold, pale face.

She didn't say anything, but leaned over and kissed him, lightly. She felt him morph back into a human under her lips. His human hands grasped her shoulders gently. Helen's hands slithered from his face into his hair, twisting it in her fingers.

She didn't know what had come over her, her brain was screaming to break away and throw Nikola out, but her body betrayed her by inching closer. She didn't deny that she had wanted Nikola, and those feelings still lingered, but John was the man she had chosen, he was the one she had shared her love with and given her heart to, and she couldn't betray that trust for a night of passion in the arms of the man she wanted first. But his lips were so hungry for hers, his hands so gentle.

If she let him he would go as far as he could with her and never bring her back.

In the end it was Nikola who pulled back, his breathing heavy and his pupils slightly dilated from the lust he had swarming in him.

"Helen," he gasped.

"Don't speak," she said and grabbed him by the collar and roughly pulled him back to her, there lips crushing into each other.

With his vampiric strength he pulled her off the settee and into his strong arms. Her hands crawled from his collar down to the buttons of his raggy shirt, pulling them open. The suspenders from his trousers hung from his hips and she used them to tug him over to the bed and lean him against the large oak post.

With him pinned, she had full reign to assault his chest with her teasing fingers and she kissed him with a renewed fervor.

The shirt dropped from his shoulders down to the floor his undershirt came soon after, leaving his torso generously exposed.

He grasped Helen's waist and turned her so her back was pressed up against his chest. He removed the pins from her hair and the blonde curls cascaded down. With his hand, he swept them away to expose the back of her neck which he kissed gently as his hands worked down the laces of her bodice, pulling the fabric down her shoulders, leaving them exposed. He moved his mouth and human teeth from her neck to her shoulder.

Helen pressed even closer to him. Her heeled boots moving up his legs and her head leaning back on to his shoulder as he left her exposed in her undergarments.

With John it was slow and careful, he guided her through the whole process, genteel and soft. With Nikola it was an all out fire, a burning sensation of heat and skin and that need just to hold on to each other as all their emotions erupted, neither of them were inexperienced. Nikola was not a stranger to women, he wasn't a hound dog either, not like Nigel who enjoyed the company of the fairer sex, always had a girl on his arm. Nikola, however, never spent his company in the whorehouses of London, his dislike for dirt probably playing into that.

He had told her long ago that women who used themselves like that weren't worth his time, he would much spend an afternoon in the comany of an intelligent woman than one who could strip down to her knickers at the drop of a hat. She admired this quality in him. It saddened her that she knew a lot of people who did not share the same idea, John even confessed that he had paid a few visits to the whorehouses when he was a younger man, but he had ceased going a long time ago.

For a moment Helen felt like one of those ladies of the night. An engagement ring around her neck and another man's hand sliding down her thigh.

But this was not some dark, lecherous meeting in the dark alleys of London. Nikola didn't hand her a handful of bills for her two get on her knees for him and dance in sin.

He, by all means, was loving her without words. There was just as much at stake for him as there was for her.

With her dress pooling down at her feet she spun and captured Nikola in another kiss. It was not a whore's kiss, whores don't kiss, kissing is an intimate act between lovers. Was Nikola to be her lover, something she would hide away in a box for when her husband-to-be was not at home?

He twisted around, taking her with him. She was in nothing but her knickers, stockings and heels. She had only ever been this naked around John, and her maids.

She fell onto the bed, a slight giggle escaping her as she bounced slightly, her legs dangled off the edge.

Nikola crawled on top of her and captured her lips again. Her arms reached around his neck.

He pulled back and removed her boots, the buttons the bane of his existence at this conjuncture, Helen just closed her eyes and felt the emotions and sensations flow through her.

Nikola finally got the heels off and crawled back up to her, his legs settling between her thighs as he trailed kisses from her lips, to her jaw, jump to her shoulder, along her clavicle , then to her throat. She gasped in the sensation. Once that spot had been a place of complete dread, she still had the sense memory from when he had tried to bite her, but in this moment in only increased her growing desire.

Nikola kissed her neck hungrily, his hand sliding down her shoulder and across her chest as he ran his tongue along the skin above her corotted artery. But then, he stopped. He tasted a distinct metallic flavour and he pulled back, his hand sliding from her chest, follwing his eyeline to a small jewled ring lying in the valley between her breasts.

Helen followed his gaze to the ring as well, and reality suddenly came crashing down on top of them.

She saw the look drop in his eyes. From passion to utter heartbreak in an instant, Helen moved to grasp the jewelry in a desperate attempt to hide her shame. To rewind the last few minutes so she wouldn't have to see that look in Nikola's eyes.

But it was too late.

He looked at her with those eyes, the sad grey, unloved eyes that cut straight into her heart.

"You won't leave him for me, will you?" he said softly.

"No," Helen said, her eyes squeezing shut as shame and regret filled her in the places that only moments before were filled with love and desire for the very man she had just destroyed.

"I see," he said sadly and stood up and dressed. His face downcast. He neither wanted to look at her, or have her look at him.

"Nikola," she said.

"Please, Helen, I am not a child, you do not have to explain anything to me," he said calmly, but she could hear the anger and disappointment creeping at the edges. "It was a mistake, it never happened, you can go back to your fiance with a clear conscious."

Helen sat up and grabbed her robe off a nearby chair.

"Nikola, it's not," she tried to say.

"Helen, please don't make this any harder than it is," he finished changing into his old raggy clothes.

Helen sighed.

"Please don't go," she said.

"I have to, it's clear that John will never let you go and you will never let go of him, leave me to my misery and my ditches, there is nothing for me where you are going," he looked at her with honesty. "I pray for your happiness."

"You don't believe in God," she looked at him sadly.

"Doesn't mean I don't believe in prayer," he sighed.

"Nikola, I'm sorry," she walked towards him and took his hand. "I didn't mean for this."

Nikola smiled weakly at her and leaned down to kiss her forehead, like he did back in Oxford. It was binding in that moment. She had lost him forever.

"Go home to your fiance, Helen," he whispered against her skin.

With that he turned and started to leave.

"What if I need you?" she blurted out.

"I'll always be here, Helen, if you need me you just have to come and find me...but you won't need me," and then he was gone.

When Helen finished wiping away her tears, several hours later, she packed her ags, booked her boat ticket, and headed down to the lobby, stopping at the phone booths.

As the Bellhops put her luggage into her car, she dialed a certain number.

"Hello, is this George Westinghouse? My name is Helen Magnus, I believe you knew my father..."

~~~~January 1888~~~~

Walls of mud.

Again Nikola found himself working through the mud filled, wind torn, rain ridden ditches of New York City.

Lucky for him he was a Vampire or his situation would be completely desperate. He hadn't eaten food in weeks, he never slept, he would finish his work during the day then come home to his prison and work on his inventions. He had to keep working.

A carriage stopped out front of the ditch and a hefty man stepped out. He was well-dressed, well-fed, and obviously well-to-do.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a man known as Nikola Tesla," said the man.

"He's over there," answered the worker.

"Thank you," he walked over to Nikola and peered down at the man, he was deep in thought. "Nikola Tesla."

"Yes," said Nikola, stopping and looking up at the man. "What can I do for you?"

"I hear you have quite a gift for electrical engineering," said the man.

"Depends on who you heard it from," said Nikola.

"You worked for Thomas Edison, did you not?"

"If you call being cheated and reduced to minimum wage slavery, yes, I worked for him, what does that have to do with you?"

"I'm a business man, the growing business is power distribution, electricty is the growing power," said the man.

"So, talk to Thomas Edison, since he is the pioneer in electric engineering," disdain dripped off of Nikola's words.

"Thomas Edison's DC generator is horribly inefficient, I would lose a lot of money on it...but you Mr. Tesla, you're work on alternating current...now that shows promise."

"What do you want?" Nikoal sighed, done playing games.

"I want to buy your patents for a substantial amount a piece, if you want I can write you the check for them right here and now, I also want to hire you as a consultant, get you out of this ditch and doing what you were meant to be doing, get you a lab of your own, a proper suit, anything you need for that beautiful mind of yours to start working, and I'm willing to start immediately," the man certainly was a businessman.

"Who are you?" asked Nikola.

"Westinghouse...George Westinghouse."

"And how do you know about me?" Nikola looked at him suspiciously.

"I've known about you for quite some time, and know I've finally found you," smiled George.

Nikola watched him carefully.

"Will you really give me a check now?" asked Nikola.

Without a word George pulled out a checkbook and pen and scribbled a number on it then handed it to Nikola.

"And that is just for your induction motor," said George.

Nikola eyes bulged as he read the number.

"I guess I'm all yours," said Nikola, dropping his spade.

With quick haste, Nikola climbed out of the hole he had dug himself in.

A week later the newspaper announced Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. hiring the brilliant young Nikola Tesla.

Helen read the newspaper over her morning tea.

At least now he wouldn't be in those ditches anymore, and that's all she could pray for.


	23. An Electrical Charge (1)

Chapter 23 – An Electrical Charge Part 1

_**~~~~August 1888~~~~**_

Helen sat out in the garden of her London home.

The afternoon sun warmed up the air around her as she read through the paper. A mysterious murder in Whitechapel, it had happened nearly a few weeks ago, James was the lead investigator. Very few things flustered James but this creature did. James had caught many serial killers in his tenure with Scotland Yard, he said they were base and predictable, and when caught they were as readable as a children's poem. But this one was like an allusion, like he wasn't really there but the he left destruction in his wake. There were no prints, no marks, no evidence that another entity was in the area with this woman aside from the lascerations across the neck and the missing rib bones from their chest.

James sat across from her filing through all of his notes and the evidence.

To say he had become obsessed was an understatement.

"You're tea won't be drinkable if it is cold," she said to him.

"There is no rest for the wicked, therefore those who must catch them must not rest either," he said, jotting down something quickly into his book.

"Well you can't very well catch them if you pass out, now can you?" Helen pushed his cup of tea towards him. "You don't eat, you barely sleep, you don't even stop to have a drink with me James, this case is consuming your life, and the scary thing is that you've only been on it for a few weeks and this killer has already gotten under your skin."

"I can't read him! He stabs them but the way they are positioned is with such care…it's like he's battling two sides of himself," James groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

"What's going on?" John entered on to the veranda to join his fiancé and good friend.

"James is obsessed about catching this Whitechapel killer," sighed Helen, standing up to greet him. "How are you, darling?"

He kissed her chastely and smiled.

"I am very well, thank you," he took her hand gently and escorted her back to the table, pulling out her chair for her then sitting down in the chair between her and James.

"How is work, my good man?" James looked up from his papers to smile at his friend.

"Busy as always, I've been working late several nights," John poured himself a cup of tea. "I want to marry this one before she loses interest."

Helen laughed at the joke.

"Impossible," she placed her hand gently overtop his free one.

"If money is the issue, John, me and Nigel would be honored to help with the wedding, you don't have to be afraid to ask," offered James.

"I am grateful, but it's a matter of pride, Helen is quite self-sufficient on her own, I want us to be equals in this marriage," he grasped Helen's fingers and kissed the top of her hand lightly.

"Once he passes the bar we're going to go to create a business together, my Doctorate, his lawyering skills, you should join us James, Scotland Yard has benefited from your services for far too long," Helen smiled at James.

James sighed.

"As lovely as that sounds I can't leave Scotland Yard just yet," James looked back to his mountain of notes and newspaper articles. "Not until I solve this case."

He looked at a folder titled M. Tabram sadly.

John looked down to Helen's hand entwined with his.

"What if you can't James?" he asked calmly.

"Then I'll die trying, this girl may have been a prostitute but she was someone else's daughter, or mother, or friend, imagine if it was Helen, for goodness sakes! What if he kills again? A monster is a monster, and no one, I don't care who they are deserves to be murdered so coldly," John put a hand on James shoulder in a comforting pat.

"I'm sure he can't go on like this forever," said John.

"I hope your right John," James lifted up his cup and finally took a sip from it, then cringed as it had ceased to be warm about a half-hour ago. "Any news on our old friend?"

James changed the subject and now it was Helen's turn to be flustered.

"The only news I know of Nikola is what I read in the paper," sighed Helen. "My last encounter with him was…far from pleasant."

"You should've told one of us," said John.

"I know, but things have been so fragile between us, I thought if it was just me I could convince him to come back but he's…he's so stubborn," Helen let go of John's hand.

"So you dragged him further away by calling George Westinghouse?" asked James.

"It was the least I could do, he wasn't going to come back to London, he was going to rot in that mud-filled ditch until Armageddon!" Helen exclaimed. "I thought at least I could call in a favor and keep tabs on him; at least he's successful now."

"If you'd have told us we could've helped in convincing him," said James.

"And we could've saved money on traveling expenses," added John.

"He would've accused of being kidnappers and claim we've turned into pirates, as I said I wanted him back, not hating us until we die," Helen sipped her tea pointedly.

"Why did you want him back? He decided long ago that he was too good for this team," asked James.

"I realized when John asked me to marry him that we would have a glorious wedding in the garden, the summer flowers would be in bloom, my father would be there, you and Nigel would be there, so many old friends and family…except one…Nikola is my family just as much as my father and the three of you, I couldn't get married without him there…or at least, that's what I thought. Nikola's always been stubborn and pigheaded and that's not going to change soon," Helen huffed in annoyance at the thought of the vampire.

"What happened there, Helen?" asked John.

"Nothing…it's just Nikola and his darned stupidity, now I wish to not speak of Nikola Tesla anymore!" Helen stood up and curtly excused herself walking back into the house.

John looked at James for a moment.

"It was probably a good idea for us not to come," said James after a while.

"Indeed, we probably would've kicked his teeth in," sigh John and James let out a small laugh in agreement.

Helen fumed at she walked into her study, slamming the door behind her.

She couldn't let John know the whole truth…she couldn't…that would be a betrayal…she kissed another man…almost slept with another man…and not just any man but Nikola! She was afraid of talking too much about her last encounter with him because surely soon enough James would read it in her face and confront her about it…then she would have to tell John. What a bloody bloody mess!

This whole mess with Nikola had her tied up in knots. She was going to marry John, she wanted to marry John, Nikola told her to marry John…then why was she wondering what it would be like if she married Nikola instead…she was always going to wonder what the reverse of this situation would be.

It boiled her bones.

She sat at her desk and rested her head in her hands taking a moment to regain her composure.

Something on her desk caught her eyes and she pushed away a papers lying on top of the object and she saw the edge of the photograph.

It was framed; it must've fallen over at some point.

She picked it up and her breath nearly hitched in her throat.

Nikola had seen a photograph camera at an exhibit and he swore he could make something smaller and more efficient that the huge paperweight this man was using. She had laughed because only Nikola would see a marvel in new technology and claim he could do it better. He was right of course. He made his own camera, almost half the size and for months he carried it all over, using any moment he could to take a picture of her and the rest of them. She had to admit his pictures were better than most of the professional ones. She had stolen a handful of them. She had five that she considered her favorites.

The first one was one Nikola had taken of himself. How? She would never know. She assumed it must've just gone off when he wasn't paying attention for he was too busy playing with a bird. It reminded her of his genteel side, the side that loved even some of the smallest creatures.

The second one was a picture of the Five of them, casual and relaxed, one of the few moments they just enjoyed each other presence.

The third made her laugh. It had been her birthday and the four of them had snuck up on her. John slung her over his shoulder and carried her out of the library to their surprise birthday celebration waiting in the garden for her. Nikola had captured her face in a moment of shock. The memory was always pleasant in her mind.

The fourth was a picture of James and John arm wrestling, which she had always found amusing.

The last, the one she was staring at now, was just her and Nikola. He had hidden the camera, she was sure of it. It was one of those moments they shared when no one else was around.

If John saw this picture a lot of questions would be raised…but it was all perfectly innocent, really.

Nikola was lying on the floor and she was kneeling above him looking into his eyes. His face mere inches from hers, she could almost remember looking into those blue-grey eyes and asking: "What are you doing on the floor?"

She opened open a drawer and shoved the photo inside.

Those days were long gone.

_**~~~~New York, Edison Company~~~~**_

Thomas Edison walked into the lab with a purposeful stride.

This was a project he'd been working on for almost a year or so. Its official purpose was for humane execution, but he had his own hidden ideas behind the invention. It was why he allowed his two employees access to his lab, his sources, he even openly supported them, but his support didn't come cheap.

He had a thorn in his side that needed to be taken out.

"Mr. Brown, how are things?" he looked to the first man in the room.

"Very good, Mr. Edison, the chair is working better than we could've hoped, all our tests prove positive, we're hoping to get a live human test subject from the county later on in the week, death row inmate, killed several children, awful man…his name was marked for this chair," Harold P. Brown beamed proudly. "I must say, Mr. Edison, your decision to use AC instead of DC has proven a wise move indeed."

"I have my reasons," muttered Edison, looking over the deadly chair, keeping his distance.

"Mr. Kennelly, show him the data!" said Brown to his associate.

"Sure thing, Harry," Arthur Kennelly moved around the desk and maneuvered over wires and cables over to Brown and Edison in a timely fashion and handed over a folder to Brown who then handed it over to Edison.

Edison accepted it wordlessly and flipped through the pages.

"Excellent work," he said, smiling slightly. "And you can forget the death row murderer, I have my own test subject I would like to test this on."

"Who sir?" asked Kennelly.

"Someone who rightly deserves it, I assure you," said Edison handing back the folder. "I will make the arrangements, when can you set up the test?"

"Uhh, as soon as you like, sir…we just have to adjust the current flow, then we'll be all set," said Brown.

"Great, have it ready for me at the end of the week," nodded Edison dismissively and he walked out of the lab just as briskly as he had entered into it.

"Of course, sir, right away," said Brown, turning to Kennelly and smiling with pride. "We are so getting a raise."

Kennelly nodded in agreement.

Edison marched into his office and sat down taking the receiver from his personal telephone.

Being rich had its advantages, so did being a visionary.

"It's Edison," he said into the receiver. "I have a job for you…I want him by the end of the week, do it or you won't get paid…I'll pay you by how quickly you get the job done…I don't care what it takes…yes, his name is Tesla, Nikola Tesla…goodnight."

He hung up and then scrubbed a hand over his face.

He reached over and took a paper from one of the stacks that rose around his desk and started reading the reports, a hint of a smile crossing his face.

Nikola Tesla, his electrical rival, the thorn in his side…a week from now he was going to be found in his lab, electrocuted to death by his own invention. AC power. No one is going to want to use something that killed it's own inventor, Westinghouse will fall to the ground in cinders and ash and The Edison Company will rise back to it's original and rightful spot.

_**~~~~Tesla's Lab, Downtown New York~~~~**_

Nikola tinkered with the small device in his hand.

"Nice lab you've got here, Nikola," a tall, longhaired brunette woman stepped through the door. "It's impressive. I've always wanted to see the inside of a lab."

"What do you want Bianca?" he didn't take his eyes off the device.

"Isn't it obvious? I want to see the great Nikola Tesla work, see what makes him tick…see if I can be of any assistance," she grinned and walked up behind him. "Genius does look good on a man."

Nikola sighed at her more than obvious flirting. Every so often he's attracted one of these predatorial women. Strong women who know what they want, and more often then not, when they break into his lab…they want him. Bianca seemed like a panther among pussycats.

Her long arms came around his waist and across his torso, pulling him up to full height.

"I'm working, Bianca," he sighed.

"You told me once that you liked strong intelligent women, what's changed Nikki?" she teased, her long fingernail running across his cheek.

"It was one night, not a daily invitation…and certainly not a welcome wagon to my lab…and don't call me Nikki," he huffed as one of her hands softly kneaded the muscles on his chest.

"Oh, even geniuses need breaks," she continued to play with his ear.

"Is there a sign on my door that says "We're open for business?" because I don't remember putting it up."

Her hands slithered away.

"One little tour of the place and I'll be out of your hair," she grinned and he knew for a fact that was a lie.

"Maybe some other time, don't you have a play to rehearse for?" he turned back to his work.

"We opened last Thursday, I was hurt you didn't attend," she walked around the lab eyeing all the strange inventions and tools sitting around.

"I have been busy," he sighed.

She laughed and spun a gear on some strange device.

Something caught her eye and she went over to his desk in the corner to lift up a lone picture frame on the desk.

"Who's she?" asked Bianca.

Nikola turned and looked. His eyes coming in contact with the photograph Bianca held in her hands. The blue eyes, the blonde curls, the bright smile, he knew it on sight.

"She's no one," he turned back to the workbench and made a note in his book.

"Then why is she on your desk?" asked Bianca.

"She's no one of your concern," he clarified.

"She's pretty," Bianca changed the subject.

"She is," said Nikola.

"Is she the one you're spending 'a night' with now?" Bianca looked at him, arms crossed.

"No, she is a friend," he sighed; he was never going to get any work done at this rate.

"She's just a friend who you happen to have a picture of on your desk?" Bianca's words were sharp and pointed.

Nikola dropped what he was working on and went over to her.

"If I give you a tour of the lab will you leave me so I can get some work done?" he asked.

"Not a chance," she challenged. "I want to know who this broad is, or so help me Nikola, I will plant my butt on this desk and sit here singing Yankee-Doodle, until you do," she shoved a bunch of papers out of her way and sat on his desk.

"You seemed so nice at that dinner party," sighed Nikola.

"I am nice, you have first hand experience of how nice I can get, but right now I'm angry," she crossed her legs.

"Her name is Helen," sighed Nikola.

"And…" coaxed Bianca.

"And…she is not important right now," he put his hand on her knee and uncrossed it, allowing himself to step closer to her. "What is important right now, is you."

He placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"You do care," relented Bianca, her hands wrapping around his waist.

Nikola wordlessly trailed kisses along her jaw and down to her neck.

"As much as I would love to…I have rules about my lab…" he said between kisses and she gasped lightly as his human teeth nipped at the soft flesh of her throat.

"Do you have somewhere in mind?" she teased.

"My place later tonight…I'll make up for my rude behavior," he said slyly.

"I like the sound of that," she smirked as he pulled away. "What time?"

"Late…think early morning," he said.

"Working late, huh?" she hopped off the desk.

"Only if I can help it," he chuckled.

"Fine, I'll see you then," she kissed him, quickly running her hand through his hair.

She winked at him and then sauntered out of his lab back on to the street.

When she was gone he rolled his eyes, scrubbing a hand across his face and fixing his now mussed hair.

He was low…to sell himself to keep a secret…maybe if he worked late enough she would fall asleep in wait for him then he could spin a story of how she was so drunk that she just forgot the whole evening, pat her on the head then send her on her way…she'd still kick him in the nards.

She seemed so intelligent at that dinner party…he thought he had made his intentions perfectly clear, but obviously he hooked himself an intelligent-looking silly girl who now thinks he's courting her. He should be smarter than this.

He picked up his picture of Helen and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe it clean.

He placed it back gently on the desk and looked at it.

"Oh Helen," he whispered to the face in the frame.

He looked in the reflection and saw something moved behind him. It wasn't Bianca, he knew that; he could sense it was something far more dangerous.

He stood up slowly.

A hand came around him, a cloth soaked with chloroform in its palm.

His superhuman strength kicked in and he threw the arms off of him and spun quickly kicking him hard in the chest.

The guy went flying crashing into one of the worktable, taking all the inventions, papers, and tools with him. Another one attacked from his left, and another came from his right, Nikola fought the urge to morph into a vampire. The two grabbed his arms and he tossed them off effortlessly.

The first one stood up and took out his revolver clipping him in the leg, the force knocking him to his knees.

The other to rebounded and grabbed his arms again. He was shot in the other leg, the pain temporarily disorienting him. It was enough for them to roughly slam him onto his desk and cover his mouth and nostril with the cloth again. He had no choice but to inhale. He felt glass cutting into his cheek, and blood trickled down his leg to pool on his sock.

The face in a photograph caught his eye, and the faint smile comforted him slightly as he slowly lost consciousness.

"He's out!" cried one of the men.

"Good! Hog tie him!" cried the leader of this group. "Edison better be paying us double for this."

"Someone must've heard that," said the other one.

"It's a lab…they'll just think an experiment escaped from it's cage, get him in the bag."

The two nodded as the leader pulled a cigarette out of his case and lit it.

The three of them carried Nikola out in a large bag, right out the front doors.

"I heard a crash up there, is everything all right?" asked a man on the street.

"Yeah, the guy up there just had a lab rat get loose, knocked over something…we're just cleaners," stated the leader to the man.

"Oh, okay," the man looked at the group of them a little unsure.

"Have a good day," the leader tipped his hat and the three of them shoved the bag into back of their wagon, the leader got in the front with the reigns as the other two climbed into the back and they rode off.

The man looked up at the building then shook his head, deciding it was none of his business.

He walked on, as if nothing had happened.


	24. An Electrical Charge (2)

Chapter 24 – The Electrical Charge Part 2

The burlap sack was pulled from Nikola's head, uncovering his face.

He groaned slightly, whatever drugs his kidnappers had given him were strong…they probably gave him enough to bring a large horse down.

"Here you are, caught and delivered," said one of his kidnappers.

"Excellent," said another voice, he couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Eh! We ain't handing him over until you hand us over our pay, we earned it, he nearly busted my men's shoulders, as well as taking me out, and we got it done 2 days earlier than the prescribed due date, I think that counts for double," said the man.

"We agreed on 10 thousand," he recognized that cheapskate voice now…it was none other than his rival Edison…he must be very desperate if he's willing to kidnap him like this.

"Eddie!" exclaimed Nikola, a little drugged out.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Edison.

"He's some kind of freak, he took two bullets in the leg and a whole bottle of chloroform just to go down, and it didn't keep him down for long, it took three horse tranquilizers just to knock him out long enough to transport him down here," said the man.

"Interesting, well here's and additional 2000 to pay for your expenses," said Edison.

"Two thousand? We agreed double if we caught him earlier, never mind repaying our resources, we're talking personal damages, he nearly dislocated my boy's shoulders!" argued the man.

"We agreed on ten thousand, you are getting 2 additional for your personal injuries and expenses, I am being more than generous, you can take the money or you can leave without a penny," said Edison.

"Just take the cash Johnny," muttered one of the men.

"Fine, good day Mr. Edison," Johnny snatched the cash from Edison's hand and the three of them left without another word.

"You always were a cheap son of a bitch," muttered Nikola, blinking the blurriness out of his eyes.

"I'm a businessman, I can't go throwing money willy-nilly," Edison stepped in Nikolas view. "I also have to eliminate the competition, I am the frontier of electrical engineering, I can't have you stealing my title, now can I?"

"I never liked you," Nikola felt himself being lifted from the floor on to a chair. His hands were tied by twine; he could easily rip through it with his vampiric strength if he wasn't drugged to hell.

"It seems we share a similar opinion of each other," laughed Edison, moving to sit at his desk.

"Y-you were always threatened by-by my mustache," mumbled Nikola.

Edison laughed again.

"Believe what you will, Tesla, today you have the distinct honor of witnessing an Edison invention first hand," he grinned under his own vile mustache.

"Do what? Fail?" Nikola blinked a few times trying to gain focus.

"Oh no, this device knows exactly what to do," said Edison.

"I get the impression that this won't end well for me," said Nikola.

"Amazing, even when drugged you still manage to be somewhat intelligent," joked Edison.

"And it amazes me that even when sober you still manage to be a complete idiot," bit Nikola.

The humor drained out of Edison's features.

"You are a thorn in my side, Tesla, always have been! You and your superfluous alternating current! Well now I will get you both back and out of my hair, it all came to me when two of my employees approached me with this idea to create a chair that executes with electricity, a more humane death than a hanging, they mentioned using AC as the primary power source, of course they were thinking like everyone thinks, it's more efficient…but my real reason behind supporting this project was not to develop a humane way to kill murderers, rapists and other assorted ne'er-do-wells, it was so that you would be my first test subject. Just like that everything clicked. In the next few days you will be found in your lab killed by your own invention, furthermore discrediting AC, returning DC back to it's original place, as the world's leading power, where it belongs!"

Nikola laughed.

"Are you really that petty?" he looked at Edison.

"I am not petty! I just know where my place is, now I am putting you in yours!" Edison's face turned red as he stood up. "The experiment should be ready soon, we'll see how smug you are when you have a steady stream of electrical current is running through that genius brain of yours!"

He moved over and dragged Nikola roughly to his feet.

It was dark outside, he might have been out for a few hours…maybe more. He saw the night sky through the window as Edison pushed him from his office, through the main lab and a pair of reinforced steel doors into a secondary lab. The windows were covered with a thick black material, and the floor had many cables and wires running across it.

In the middle of the room was a chair - if you could call it that - it was a very demonized form of a chair. There were straps on the armrests and along the legs, and metal plates in strategic places all over the chair's surface.

Edison shoved him closer to the chair.

"Are we ready, gentlemen?" asked Edison.

Harry P. Brown, and Arthur Kennelly peeked their heads from behind what seemed like a monitor. There were so many medical devices in this lab that it could almost be mistaken for a hospital in hell…Nikola never really liked hospitals.

"Is this the subject?" asked Brown.

"Yes," said Edison.

"He looks a lot like…"

"He's not," Edison shoved Nikola into the chair and cut the rope restraining his arms.

"What'd he do?" asked Kennelly.

"He stole something…" Edison looked at Nikola sharply. "…that didn't belong to him."

"That's not something that most people end up on death row for," said Brown.

"I assure you, what he's done has qualified him perfectly for this experiment," said Edison.

Kennelly came up and restrained Nikola's arms as Brown restrained his legs.

Nikola's shirt was opened and several pads were placed down his chest.

"What are those for?" asked Nikola, still shaking off the horse tranquilizers.

"To read your vitals, to see if it's effective enough," answered Kennelly.

"Arthur, we don't have to explain it to him," hushed Brown.

"Sorry," said Kennelly apologetically.

"I see," Nikola felt a chin and forehead strap come over his face, securing his head to the back of the chair.

Electrodes were attached to certain areas of his body, (temples, heart, major arteries, etc), and then the two men stepped back along with Edison.

Nikola didn't even flinch at the prospect of death. He just scoffed, his eyes scanning the area around him.

"You're a coward, Edison!" he shouted. "Can't even kill me yourself! Have to get your lackeys to do it! There's a reason your power is failing in more ways than one! Killing me only proves how truly pathetic you are!" said Nikola.

"What's he talking about?" asked Brown.

"Does it matter? Flip the switch!" ordered an angered Edison.

"Yes sir," said Brown. He signaled to Kennelly to pull on the large lever connecting the chair to the electrical current.

Nikola grunted slightly. The drugs made it hard for him to focus his strength to rip out of the chair. He struggled for a minute; he resisted the urge to morph again, digging his nails into the wood.

Suddenly he was filled with electricity, he cried out in response. It was a wave of white-hot pain, he could feel it shooting out his fingertips, the sparks dancing across his skin. His already drug-adled brain filled to the brim with static. All he heard was Helen's voice whispering into his ear gently. He wanted to understand what she was saying but the static was causing too much interference.

His eyes shot open and he knew he had morphed slightly, his vision turning red momentarily.

He wasn't dead.

He looked around him, he was still very much alive.

Suddenly the current was gone.

"What happened?" shouted Edison.

"20 seconds, that should've been enough to kill him," said a very flustered Brown.

"It killed the cats in less time," said Kennelly.

"Put it on a higher voltage and try again!" ordered Edison.

"But sir…"

"Try again!" screamed Edison.

"Uhh…"

"Do it!" he shouted at the pair of them and they nodded fearfully.

Edison turned his head to glare at Nikola.

Nikola smirked back.

"Alright sir, trying at 2500 volts," announced Brown flipping the switch.

The current came back less painfully and Nikola welcomed it. Hopefully his vampiric immortality would give him enough time to be rescued, someone must be missing him.

"Helen," he prayed, "Come and find me."

_**~~~~London~~~~**_

Helen heard the telephone ringing off its hinges in the main foyer and she descended the many steps of the grand staircase to answer it.

John trailed behind her, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

James peeked his head out of the study, wondering what all the commotion was about.

"What the devil?" he muttered.

"Who calls at this time of night?" whined Nigel, coming out of his room.

"Obviously someone who can't wait," huffed John, his grumpiness due to his lack of sleep.

"Hush," said Helen to the three of them as she picked up the receiver. "Hello."

"Excuse me…is-is this Helen Magnus?" said a female voice from the other line.

"Yes, may I ask who's calling?" asked Helen politely.

"My-my name is Bianca Waller, I'm a friend of Nikola Tesla's," said the young woman.

Helen's heart skipped a beat.

"Is something wrong?" she asked cautiously.

The young woman broke into tears.

"He-he was supposed to meet me last night and he never showed up, at first I thought he was in his lab being forgetful, so-so I went to his lab to talk to him, give him a piece of my mind, you know. When I got there the lab door was wide open, the place was in shambles, tables overturned, things thrown on to the floor, and Nikki nowhere in sight! I went to Mr. Westinghouse to tell him what had happened and he told me to call you, he said you were a friend of Nikola's and that you could help…I fear the worst…" sobbed Bianca.

"When was the last time you saw him?" asked Helen, trying to mask the fear in her own voice.

"Uhh, y-yesterday afternoon, he was in his lab," said Bianca.

"Alright, don't go back there, stay with Mr. Westinghouse, we'll be there to help soon," said Helen hanging up the receiver.

"What's wrong Helen?" asked John, noticing her sudden distress.

"It's Nikola…he's gone missing," she looked at the three of them.

"Are you sure?" asked James.

"Could he have stopped taking his medication?" she asked.

"You don't think?" started Nigel.

"We can't say for sure, but I'm not willing to risk it, we need to get there right away, Nigel, John, get dressed and get the stunners, James get that medication," she ordered.

"What about you" asked John.

"I'll change then help James," she said.

"What if he's just off being Nikola?" suggested John.

"You're willing to risk that explanation over a vampire loose in New York City?" she glared at John.

"Of course not," he relented.

"Alright, I'd like to leave as soon as possible," she said firmly, Nigel and James needed no further explanation, but John spent an extra second to look at Helen.

Helen pushed past him and walked up the staircase back to their room quickly pulling off her nightgown to change into what James referred to as her hunting outfit.

John followed behind her, his eyes never leaving her.

"You seem awfully concerned," he said suspiciously.

"I am, it's Nikola, he's very dangerous, you know that," she came up to him gesturing for him to help her with the straps of her outfit.

"Is that all?" prodded John.

"Yes, I am more concerned for the wellbeing others than the wellbeing of that man," she sighed.

"You haven't really talked about what happened on your little trip to New York," continued John.

"What John?" Helen growled.

"Did he do something to you?" he asked, tugging sharply on her corset.

"No, we had an argument, he refused my help, then left, I told you," Helen sighed.

"Is that the whole story, Helen?" John spun her roughly to face him.

"Yes! Nothing happened! I would sooner drink a vile of poison then spend another waking thought on that man! How dare you accuse me of being unfaithful, John!" she pushed herself out of his arms.

"I know you're hiding something, Helen, something you're not telling me! Something to do with Nikola!" he glared at her.

"I did nothing with Nikola, nothing I haven't told you!" she shouted as she pinned up her hair.

"You and Nikola have always been running around keeping secrets with each other, we are to be married Helen!" he fumed.

"Stop it! This game of petty jealousy you've been playing with Nikola just stop it! I am not a prize for you two to fight over! I love you, John, and only you," she stepped up to him placing her hands on his chest. She leaned up to kiss him lightly.

"You're right, I'm being silly," he sighed.

"And grumpy, you're always grumpy when you're tired," she teased. "We're going to go check this out, if it turns out Nikola is just being an idiot you can punch him and we will leave him…but I think this woman sounds genuinely afraid."

John nodded silently.

She checked herself in the mirror.

"Now get ready," she stepped to the door. "Nigel will need your help, I would like to have the least casualties from this situation as I can," she walked out of the room to go help James.

John watched her leave intently. He knew she was hiding something from him. Eyes rarely lie. He dressed quickly then pulled out his specialized pistol, something Nigel had made for him. This would get him his answer.

_**~~~~New York, Outside Tesla's Lab~~~~**_

Helen walked down the street, the others behind her.

She had been abnormally silent since they had left Westinghouse's home, meeting the young woman that had contacted him.

"_You must be Bianca."_

"_Yes, you're going to find Nikola, right?"_

She walked with a quickened pace. It was strong and purposeful, and frightening enough to have her friends and fiancé stay a good three steps behind her.

"_May I ask how you met Nikola?"_

"_Uh, he attended a party of a friend of mine, for him it was just a social necessity, we ran into each other and we, uh, expressed an interest in each other…you're the woman from the picture, aren't you?"_

"_What picture?"_

"_Oh, nevermind."_

"_Excuse me miss, but are you saying you are in a relationship with Tesla?"_

"_Yes, well, sort of, Nikola's form of a relationship is less formal than most."_

A relationship! That's what she said. Nikola with that brunette bimbo! An actress no less! Without any intent to court! The bloody bastard!

She clenched her fists.

"Is there a reason Helen looks like she's about to kill Nikola herself?" whispered Nigel to James.

"Probably due to the way he was shamefully using that young girl as a sexual object," muttered John.

"She seems very intelligent, I don't think she minded his affections, or maybe is misguided in his true intentions, or in love enough to hold on till they change, affairs of the heart are very fickle," shrugged James.

"_So you said he was supposed to meet you last night?"_

"_Yes, at his place, I arrived there with a bottle wine, a nice vintage given to me as a gift for a performance, I knew he loved wine, but he wasn't there, at first I thought he was stiffing me, but when I got to his lab…and saw…"_

"_Thank you, Miss Waller, that's all we need."_

Helen scoffed.

"Helen, you're starting to scare the pedestrians," John walked up to Helen and grabbed her arm to stop her ongoing march.

"I'm sorry…I was just…thinking about something," she shook her head.

"Was it something that Miss Waller said?" asked John.

"No, I'm fine, look, we're here," Helen opened the door to the building and headed up the narrow flight of stairs to the door to the lab.

James went in behind her, John next, and Nigel last.

"Well this definitely looks like a scene from a drunken pub brawl," said James.

Nigel noticed a cloth lying on the floor. He picked it up and smelled the strong odor.

"Chloroform," he said.

"What?" James came up to him and examined the cloth.

"This is looking more and more like a kidnapping," said Nigel.

"Indeed, but who would want to kidnap Nikola?" asked John, a small smirk cresting his lips.

Helen ignored the three of them as something on the floor near the desk caught her eye.

There was broken glass everywhere, but amongst the glass was a single broken frame lying on the floor. Helen picked it up in gloved hand.

"_You're the woman from the picture, aren't you?"_

Helen bit her lip and put the frame face down on the desk.

"We should split up, John, you and Nigel go to Nikola's apartment, see if there are anything of interest, James, you and I will process the lab."

"Are you sure that's wise, Helen?" asked John.

"It's the only way we can cover the most area, when we're done here we'll join you," said Helen.

"Alright," John bowed his head and he and Nigel left.

When they were gone Helen exhaled and leaned against the desk.

"Helen?" James came over.

"I can't go on like this James, any moment now John is going to find out and he is going to hate me forever," Helen lifted up the frame.

"Helen, what did you do?" James looked at the frame with wide eyes and a growing suspicion.

"I kissed him…" Helen whispered. "I almost let it get too far but then Nikola noticed my ring and stopped and told me to go home. He knew I wasn't going to leave John for him. I didn't mean for it…I'm such an idiot," Helen rested her head in her hands.

"Why did you kiss him?" asked James softly.

"I don't know why…I guess I wanted to know if I was making the right choice before it was too late…"

James placed the frame down and put his hands on Helen's shoulders.

"And did you?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I mean, I think so…I love John very much, I know I want to marry him…but every time I think about my future life with him I wonder about Nikola…this Bianca woman upsets me more than it should, I shouldn't feel this way if I love John I shouldn't be jealous of Nikola, what's wrong with me?" she looked at James.

"You are clouding your feeling for John and your friendship with Nikola, you want them both to be happy, but only one of them can be happy with you, and even Nikola himself has acknowledged that man to be John," said James.

"Then explain that photograph," snapped Helen.

"Obviously, he misses your company more than he would let you believe, you two were very close, and instead of admitting the loss of that he has resorted to pretending…we'll never know his true intentions unless you ask him," James took her hands. "First lets find him."

"Alright," she nodded. "Please don't tell John, it's something he should hear from me."

James nodded.

"Of course."

She patted his hand then stood up to her full height and began searching the room as thoroughly as she could.

James used his powers of observation and his investigative skills. Aside from the cloth drenched in chloroform and a few drops of blood on some shards of glass the lab was practically spotless of any evidence of Nikola's alleged kidnapping.

"There's nothing here" sighed Helen.

"Let's join the others," James agreed.

He closed the lab door behind them as they headed back down to the street.

Three men with a two-horse drawn wagon watched them curiously from across the street.

"What do you make of those three?" said James.

"Too curious to be just bystanders," Helen looked at them just out of the corner of her eye.

"Indeed," muttered James.

"They're coming this way," she said seeing the three of them walk over.

"Hey you! Are you looking for the mustached guy that owns this building?" said one of them.

"And who are you?" said James to the man.

"Name's Johnny," said the man.

"Do you know what happened to this man?" Helen took out a photograph of Nikola and handed it to Johnny.

"Yeah, that's him," said Johnny. "We kidnapped him."

"What?" exclaimed Helen.

"Look, it was nothing personal, this big shot fella paid us some steep cash to kidnap him, we tried to bargain with him and he stiffed us, this guy nearly broke Frank's collarbone," Johnny pointed to the photograph.

"Where is he?" asked James.

"We're willing to tell ya…for a price," bargained Johnny.

"How do we know you won't just stiff us?" said James.

"Look we're fair business men, we're willing to do it for a fair price, say 3000 and we'll draw you a map," smirked Johnny.

"James," said Helen.

James sighed and pulled out his wallet.

"For this, you're going to show us the way, we'll pay you half now, and half when we get there, deal?" said James.

"You got it, hop in!" Johnny took the cash from James' hand and gestured over to his cart.

"Did you hear him James, hop in," Helen smirked slightly.

"Shouldn't we contact the others?" asked James.

"No time," Helen pushed him towards the horse cart. "Nikola could be in grave danger."

"All the more reason to have back up," said James.

"Don't worry, Nigel has a back-up plan," Helen climbed into the cart, James following after. "He'll know where we are, besides, I left a note when you weren't looking."

James sighed sat down beside her.

"You always were a few steps ahead of me," he looked at her and took her hand gently as the cart started to move down the street.


	25. An Electrical Charge (3)

Chapter 25 – An Electrical Charge Part 3

_**~~~~Edison's Lab~~~~**_

Nikola groaned as they shut off the power to the chair.

Edison had left what felt like hours ago, off to cover his ass Nikola assumed. His perfect assassination plan had less than perfect results. There had been shouting amongst the three of them. Edison ordered they crank up the power to the maximum voltage and just fry his brains out, but Brown refused. This was supposed to be a humane killing method anyways, so much so that the victim didn't die.

Edison blamed it on poor construction. Brown theorized that the current mustn't be reaching Nikola to the extent, faulty wiring in a sense. Kennelly claimed that there was nothing wrong with the wiring and that it must be something in the capacitor.

The shouting match continued on in this manner for quite sometime until Edison shouted "FIX IT!" and stormed out of the lab.

No one stopped to consider the obvious; the truth that only Nikola knew. He was a vampire, and unless Edison resolves to chopping off his head and sticking it on a spear and shouting to the villagers "I've killed the beast!" nothing these poor men could do would kill him. He would remain strapped to this chair getting zapped to all hell. Brown and Kennelly would either give up and get fired, or they would get caught and go to prison and Edison will claim he had no knowledge of these experiments.

Of course he could escape, but the constant electrical current being delivered into his system acted like a drug all on it's own, weakening muscles, numbing his brain. He couldn't flex his fingers properly, let alone escape this chair.

The most he could pray for was a quick beheading.

"Nothing is working Harry, the guy is still alive, I do not understand it," said Kennelly.

"Maybe we should do what he said, put the chair on high and just wait till he fries, we can't set him free, he's a criminal," said Harold Brown, worry setting deep in his face.

"Maybe we tie him up and throw him in the lake with a heavy weight attached to his feet, they'll never know, as you said he's a criminal," whispered Kennelly.

"And tell Mr. Edison what?"

"That he eventually died of heart failure, he had a brain aneurism, anything!" sighed Kennelly.

"No, we'll do it his way, it's no different," said Brown.

"At least my way we don't end up taking out the power for the whole of Manhattan!"

"Five minutes, if it doesn't work we'll throw him in the lake," offered Brown.

Kennelly nodded silently and went to his work.

Nikola hadn't had to sleep for a long time but he found himself fighting not to fall asleep in this chair…or maybe we was passing out…he couldn't tell. All he knew was that the world was slowly starting to fade away as his eyes closed.

_**~~~~Other Side Of Town~~~~**_

Helen watched as the slowly darkening world outside her pushed by, the cart was moving painfully slow, slower than she could handle. James checked his person, an annoying habit of his; he counted the bullets in his gun, the bills in his wallet, the coins in his purse, the buttons on his vest, etc. Was it a nervous tick, or a compulsion, she could never tell, but it made her grind her teeth.

John whistled when he was nervous, usually an old lullaby she could only assume was sung to him as a child. Nigel shifted in and out of visibility; she guessed that the nerves were affecting his focus. Neither were as annoying as James' nervous ticks.

And Nikola…Nikola rarely was nervous, he saw himself as indestructible, he just grinned that bloody boyish grin and…kiss her. He would usually wink, squeeze her hand, peck her on the cheek, or a quick chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth. "See you on the other side, Helen."

"What are you thinking about?" asked James.

Helen shook her head.

"What?"

"When your nervous you usually distract yourself by thinking about something that removes you from the situation, it's bloody annoying," said James.

Helen huffed.

"Nothing," she said dismissively.

"You were thinking about Nikola weren't you?" James looked at her softly.

"Nonsense," she shook her head.

He shrugged, deciding not to push her.

Damn him and his bloody keen sense of observation; another annoying habit of his.

Helen felt the cart stop.

"Here we are," said Johnny.

"Where is here?" mumbled James.

"Here is where we dropped off your guy," shrugged Johnny. He lifted a grimy finger and pointed at the large building.

"Edison Company?" James looked at Helen.

"Nikola always claimed that Edison had it out for him," shrugged Helen.

"Enough to want him dead?" asked James.

"Possibly," Helen stood up and hopped off the back on to the ground.

"Hey! What about us?" asked Johnny.

James looked at the three of them.

"We haven't confirmed that our friend is here yet," said James. "You'll wait for us and we will pay you when we get back."

"But, hey!" whined Johnny.

"As much as you don't want to be stiffed, neither do we," said James sternly.

"Fine, alright," sighed Johnny and he shrugged back into his seat.

James fell into step with Helen who was already on her way to the side of the building checking for any life inside.

She growled angrily when she saw that the windows were covered.

"We should wait for John and Nigel to arrive, I sent them a signal," said James.

"No time," muttered Helen, pulling out her pistol and cocking it. "I'm going in with or without you."

"Helen, be smart about this," said James.

"I'm not going to wait around while they kill him," she snarled and went to the front door.

"Helen!" said James.

Helen kicked the thick wooden doors open with her heeled boots.

The workroom of Edison Co. was empty. Edison was nowhere in sight, Helen kept her gun poised and her eyes alert as she cautiously stepped into the building.

The only light was emanating from underneath a door on the other side of the rows of tables. Helen maneuvered her way around the cords, wires and lightbulbs in the room to the door, pressing her ear against the wood.

There was no movement, just a loud buzzing sound.

Just like the first door, she took her heeled boot to this one and it easily swung open.

Helen nearly gasped.

"What is that?" gasped James behind her.

"I don't know," she said stepping into the room cautiously.

There were two men lying unconscious on the floor, she could see them breathing lightly. They both had severe electrical burns on their hands and arms; one had a long gash along the side of his face.

Helen stepped over the large coil on the floor, avoiding the line of blue electricity streaming around it.

"Don't get too close, Helen," said James.

Helen stopped walking and looked at the unconscious form strapped into the demonic contraption. She saw a dribble of blood peeking from the corner of his mouth.

"Nikola," she gasped.

"I'm going to try to turn this thing off!" said James.

"Alright," Helen kept her eyes fixed on Nikola.

James came up to the generator and reached for the handle; it shocked him slightly making him wince in pain. He pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on, again reaching for the handle.

The buzzing suddenly died and the streams of blue faded away.

As soon as she could Helen stepped over to Nikola and started pulling off the restraints, starting with the head and chin.

"Nikola," she said, worry creeping into her features. "Nikola!"

She cupped his face.

"Uh," he grunted.

"Oh thank god," sighed Helen.

His eyes blinked open, slightly glazed over.

"H-Helen?" he muttered. He looked down at her hands as she pulled off his arm restraints. 'No, you shouldn't be here!"

He jerked his hand to make it more difficult for her to remove leather strap.

"Nikola, please, we have to get you out of here," she looked at him.

"I'm fine, now please Helen, get out!" he shouted.

"There's no one here, Nikola," she argued.

"Not yet, but there will be very soon, I don't want them to hurt you," he winced slightly.

James came to the other side of the chair and started working on the leg straps.

"Who did this to you, good man?" said James.

"Who do you think? That jealous bastard as lost it I tell you," Nikola flexed his fingers.

"What is this thing?" asked Helen, moving on to the strap of the leg nearest her.

"Some primitive crude excuse of an execution device using electricity as a _humane_ way to kill it's victims, using AC no less, guess who is it's test subject," groaned Nikola.

"Edison designed this to kill you?" clarified Helen.

"Yes, obviously my abilities are good for more than parlor tricks," he grinned slightly.

Helen took his hand and tried to help him up. His legs buckled at first causing him to fall into her. James moved fast to grab his collar and pull him back up.

Nikola grunted slightly but soon found his footing, using James as support; Helen maneuvered herself under his free arm to support him more.

"I guess my muscles have fallen asleep," Nikola joked.

"What happened to them?" asked James, gesturing to the two unconscious men on the floor.

"I have no idea, I fell asleep," muttered Nikola.

"We'll report this to the authorities, Edison will pay for this," said Helen.

"Don't give him the benefit of that, he only did this because I'm better than him, I'll destroy him by looking him in the eye and him knowing that he couldn't kill me when he had he chance," Nikola grunted as they walked briskly out of the lab.

The reached outside and Nikola inhaled a deep breath and laughed slightly.

"I think I'll be fine now," he stood on his own two feet.

"Are you sure?" asked Helen.

Nikola nodded wordlessly.

"Helen!" came John's voice. He and Nigel ran up to the three of them.

"You found him!" cried Nigel.

"Yes, strapped to a death machine," muttered Helen bitterly.

"Who'd you piss of this time?" joked Nigel.

"It wasn't my fault, he's just gone nuts," Nikola glared at the short Englishman.

"Sure," smirked Nigel.

"Let's get him out of here," said James heading back to Johnny and his gang waiting down the road.

"You're back! Any luck?" said Johnny.

"We've got him, here's the rest of your money, can you give us a lift?" asked James, pulling out his wallet.

"Sure thing, where to?"

"Hey, those guys- uh…" Nikola stopped suddenly.

"Nikola?" Helen turned to him.

Nikola flashed, an electrical spark shot to the ground, a cloud of dirt rose in it's wake.

"Holy hell!" jumped Nigel.

Helen stepped towards Nikola.

"Don't touch me, Helen!" said Nikola fearfully, stepping away from her.

His face turned red as another spark shot out of his fingertips and hit a tree.

"What is happening to him?" asked Nigel.

Nikola cried out and crumpled to the ground as a thick wave of electric current covered him.

"Nikola!" cried Helen.

"How does he do that?" muttered one of Johnny's men.

Nikola screamed again, and John pulled Helen out of the way to duck the surge of electricity exploding from Nikola's body.

She was pulled behind the wagon and all three men crouched over her as Nikola shot sparks everywhere. His cry was almost bloodcurdling.

Suddenly the bright blue light faded and the scream ceased.

The four of them poked their heads from behind the wagon.

Nikola lay unconscious on the dirt road.

"What's wrong with him?" Helen turned to James.

"I don't know for sure, but he may have absorbed all the current from the electric chair, it's running through him now," said James.

"Will it kill him?" Helen was worried.

"I don't think so, vampires for intents and purposes are immortal to a point…this may be an extension of his abilities, who knows?"

Helen walked around the wagon and carefully stepped towards him, her gun pulled out in case he attacked her again.

She nudged him with her foot and an electric discharge zapped from him slightly.

"He's alive," she said.

"Put your gloves on, let's get him in the cart," ordered James to John and Nigel.

"What are we going to do if he goes berserk again?" asked Nigel.

"I don't know, but we can't leave him here," James stepped up to Nikola's lanky form and grabbed him by the arms as John and Nigel each grabbed a leg, hoisting him up on to the bark of Johnny's cart.

Helen stepped up next to sit by his head. She pulled her gloves on and lightly stroked his face as the rest of them got in and the cart started moving away.

She wanted Edison to pay for this.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola groaned as his brain entered the conscious realm, cracking his eyes open slightly. The world was slightly blurry, but he could make out one figure standing above him.

He blinked back the blurriness and the figure came into focus.

"Whoa, Nikola, don't move to much," he felt her hand on his chest.

"Uh, what happened?" groaned Nikola.

"You absorbed the electricity from the electric chair, we assume that's what knocked out your captors, you nearly did the same to us," Helen said softly.

"Where am I?" he asked huskily.

"Westinghouse was kind enough to let us stay at his house to look after you," she said, she pushed back his unruly hair.

"Did I hurt anyone?" asked Nikola.

"No, you did give us quite the scare though," she smiled sweetly.

"How did you know I was in danger?" he didn't see any of the others in the room.

"Your friend Bianca found your lab in disarray so she went to George to tell him and he called us, simple as that," Helen placed a damp cloth on his head.

"Bianca?" Nikola looked confused.

"The actress," clarified Helen.

"Oh, right, the annoyingly clingy one," he muttered.

"Well she's the annoyingly clingy one who happens to care enough about you to help save your life," Helen reprimanded him.

"I don't love her, Helen," he said looking at her sincerely. "The truth is, Helen…"

"Good morning sunshine," Nigel barged into the room.

"Perfect timing Nigel," muttered Nikola sarcastically.

"And pleasant as ever, ol' chap," smirked Nigel. "He's up!"

James and John soon joined afterwards.

"How is our homegrown vampire?" joked John.

"Fine," Nikola sat up, crossing his arms.

"Long time, no see, we were starting to think you had found new friends," James sat on the other side of the bed.

"We were close, but they were enemies, not friends," joked Nigel.

"Do you have nothing better to do than make fun of me?" grumped Nikola.

"Of course we do," answered John.

"But nothing as entertaining," James smiled deviously.

Helen laughed at her boys.

"Come on, Nikola, it's a reunion!" Helen exclaimed, pulling John and Nigel on to the bed as well, right on top of Nikola, making him grunt.

"I hate reunions!" he pouted.

"Nonsense," said Nigel.

The four of them crawled around him, Helen snuggling beside him, John cuddled next to her, James sprawled out across the end, his read resting on John's leg,Nigel doing the same but the opposite direction, his head resting on Nikola's leg, Helen's legs rested across Nigel's stomach, her toes just touching James' thigh.

"Now that we're comfortable who wants a cup of tea?" said John.

"Make it wine," sighed Nikola, resting his head on Helen's shoulder.

"I have my boys all together again in one place," she smiled.

"One of you did lock the door, right?" asked Nikola.

"Because tea drinking is just so criminal," joked Nigel.

"Well, yes that, but really, I don't know what George's staff would think of this," said Nikola.

"Since when did you become so self-conscious," teased James.

Nikola scowled.

"Don't worry, we won't be bothered," Helen said to him.

John reached over to a tea tray on the night table and passed out the cups from it to everyone.

"You guys are so british," sighed Nikola.

The group of them laughed.

"Thank you," James, John and Nigel said in unison.

It didn't take long before all Five them to fall asleep, except Nikola who just watched over them as they fell asleep. Helen had her head rested on his chest, sleeping soundly. John had his arms securely wrapped around her, his head rested against the headboard.

Nikola shifted himself from underneath all the bodies and out of the bed. He made his way to the small balcony. The moon shone dully over New York City. Nikola breathed in the night air.

He looked back into the room at the snoozing group; Nigel was lightly snoring, James rolled over, and Helen mumbled something into a pillow. The comfort they provided shocked him, he had expected this reunion would be a lot more painful that it was. They were just happy to see him, no one even breathed a word of his abandonment, they just drank tea, and reminisced, just like it was old times.

But it wasn't like old times.

Helen was going to marry John, they would become their own group, a couple, separate from him, from James, from Nigel. Nikola looked at Helen.

Why must he love her so much?

He turned away to look back at the sky and sighed deeply.

He heard a rustle.

"Beautiful night, huh?" John came up behind him.

"Yes," said Nikola.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked John.

"I don't sleep," Nikola looked at John. "What's your excuse?"

"Couldn't sleep either," John looked out at the stars. "I know what you're trying to hide from me, Nikola."

"Excuse me?" Nikola glared at John.

"The last time Helen visited, I followed her here, I saw her with you…you two have been going on behind my back," John's tone changed to a menacing whisper.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," snarled Nikola.

"I saw you, Nikola! You seduced my fiancé!" John grabbed Nikola by the collar and roughly slammed him against the outside wall.

"It was nothing, John! We did nothing!"

"You kissed her!"

"I did, but she loves you! Not me! I don't know what you saw, but that is the truth. I kissed her and she still chose you! Are you happy? You've won!"

John lifted him off his feet and hoisted him over the balcony railing, leaving him dangling over the edge.

"You stay away from Helen, Nikola, this is the last time I'm going to tell you," he growled.

"She doesn't want me, John, I'm done with her! Go off! Marry her if you like! I won't stop you!" Nikola spat.

"I will," John released Nikola and he fell into the garden.

He walked back inside.

"Where's Nikola?" asked Helen, looking at John.

"He left, I'm sorry Helen," said John.

Helen bit her lip angrily.

"No matter," Helen sighed.

John crawled up beside her.

"If you want we can go and find him in the morning," John wrapped his arm around her and kissed her shoulder.

"No, I'm done with him, he can stay here and die alone if he likes, let's just go home," sighed Helen taking his hand.

"Of course," she rested her head on his arm and closed her eyes. John's lips curled into a vicious smile as he lifted his head and looked out the balcony doors. "Goodbye Nikola."

_**~~~~In The Garden~~~~**_

Nikola groaned as his broken limbs healed each other. He pulled a sharp twig out of his side; he winced slightly.

Bastard.

He looked up at the balcony that he was thrown off of.

It was for the best, probably, now he could skip the awkward conversation when Helen and the others try to convince him to come back to London.

He crack his back and neck.

"Ow," he muttered.

He limped slightly as he made his way out of Westinghouse's garden to the street.

He made it back to his lab just as the sun started to rise. He felt exhausted, but it wasn't from being tired or from the long walk. His heart felt heavy.

His lab was a mess, he might as well get started on that; he wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon anyways.

Nikola picked up his overturned desk chair and sat in it, his eyes came across the frame lying face down on top of the desk.

He picked it up. The image was too hard to look at. He tossed it in the waist basket and lowered his head into his hands.

"Nikki! Is that really you?" came a voice.

He lifted his head up to see who the voice belonged to.

"Bianca?" he saw where she had camped out in wait for his return.

"Oh my god, Nikki, I was so worried!" she came up to him and hugged him tightly. "What happened to you?"

She released him and placed a small chaste kiss to his mouth.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he looked away from her.

"You had me so worried!" she ran a hand through his mussed hair.

"Why do you care? We were together once! How can you possibly care about me, Bianca? Do you think that if you sleep with him once you know them inside and out! Stick to Shakespeare, I'm not the man for you," Nikola said bitterly.

"What are you saying, Nikola?" Bianca stepped back from him, looking crushed.

"I don't love you, Bianca, I never will! I'm sorry but that is just the way it is, now, please leave me in peace," he sighed.

"It's that Helen woman, isn't it? You love her, don't you?" cried Bianca.

"Please leave," said Nikola, looking away from her.

'You're a bastard, Nikola Tesla, a selfish, idiotic bastard, I hope you rot in hell!" screamed Bianca, she stormed over to her stuff and picked it up, leaving shortly after, slamming the door behind her.

Nikola ignored her display of temper, leaning back to the waist basket. Lifting the broken frame out of it.

He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the pictures surface before putting it back in it's place on the desk before standing up and moving around the desk.

With a long sigh he started to clean his empty, dark, and lonely lab as the morning sun rose behind a rain cloud and a thick sheet of water fell down around his world.

It always seemed to rain on the crappiest days of his life.


	26. A Framing in Whitechapel (1)

Chapter 26 – A Framing in Whitechapel Part 1

_**~~~~September 29, 1888~~~~**_

_Dear Boss,_

_I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the __right__ track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper __red__ stuff in a __ginger beer__ bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope __ha. ha.__ The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck. Yours truly Jack the Ripper_

_Dont mind me giving the trade name_

_PS Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. __ha ha_

James read through the note over and over again, it was driving him mad! This murderer was so taunting, as if he knew exactly what buttons to push that would send James' nostrils flaring. This letter was proof of how devious he was, how cruel and maniacal.

What had started out with a severe stabbing and assault nearly two months ago had escalated to the most brutal murders the experienced detective had ever seen.

Three women murdered by this Jack the Ripper. How many more women would he take before he was caught?

"If you read that letter one more time you're going to give yourself a brain aneurism, Jim," said Nigel from across the table.

"I don't get it, I just don't get it, he kills Tabram, August 7th, then there is nothing in Whitechapel for weeks then, right at the end of the month, he kills Nichols. Except, this time he takes a prize. Then Chapman no more than a week later, and each time the brutality is worsened but his method gets cleaner. I don't get it, what is he practicing on these women for?"

"Maybe you're wrong about Tabram, maybe she wasn't murdered by the same fella. It could've been some kid taking his rage out on some innocent woman," suggested Nigel.

"No, it's not that. No, Tabram was his first go, a test run, a stabbing. The brutality fed him but he was not satisfied by it, it was too sloppy, too quick. So he studies, figures it out, because he's smart. When he feels like he's ready he goes out again, back to Whitechapel. Nichols murder is brutal and vicious but clean and skilled, but it takes two slashes to sever the neck; he was nervous it's understandable. Then he returns a week later, his technique perfected. One slash, one swift motion; that is the power he feeds on. This letter is in response to Scotland Yard's idea to stem public panic. He's arrogant! He wants full credit for his work; he thinks he is some vigilante ridding the world of the unclean. The bastard thinks he's a saint!"

"Because he's perfected his craft on killing whores? But why, what's his motive?" asked Nigel.

"Lord knows why. He could be impotent, feels like women are a threat to him, maybe one laughed at him and his inadequacy…maybe he's taking out his rage on these women because of something someone much closer did to him," listed off James.

"So, he's murdering these ladies because one girl laughed at his shortcomings," laughed Nigel.

"Or his mother abused him when he was younger. These type of men aren't healthy, Nigel, they don't think like rational men such as ourselves," said James.

"Sound like petty, cowardly, bastard to me," shrugged Nigel.

"I'm almost sure he's practicing for some ultimate target, the oe his anger is truly directed to," muttered James.

"James, put that infernal letter away, I would like to have one breakfast where the conversation is not hounded by this Whitechapel killer," said Helen as John escorted her in.

"And good morning to you, love birds, sleep in long enough?" teased Nigel.

Helen blushed.

"Don't try to deny it John, the residential corridors, though spacious, are not soundproof," said James, tucking his papers back into his briefcase.

"Especially to an insomniac like James here," Nigel smirked.

"I hope we didn't keep you up, old boy," teased John.

"No, it wasn't you," James looked at his briefcase with sad, troubled eyes.

Helen knew he was still puzzling over that case.

John pulled out her chair and she sat down in it, patting his hand affectionately. He sat in the chair next to her.

"Guess who's sworn off all women?" laughed Nigel suddenly, rifling through the paper with a snicker.

"Who?" asked John.

"Our old friend, Tesla, according to the papers he's gone as celibate as a priest, putting his work above all else," chuckled Nigel.

"Another topic I don't wish to discuss at the table, please refrain from speaking about that boor to me," growled Helen.

"Oh right, we're shunning him," muttered James.

"He doesn't want to be part of this team anymore, so be it! He is a stranger and shall be treated as such," Helen poured herself a cup of tea.

"James, small question. When was that last murder in Whitechapel?" asked John.

"John, please," Helen sighed,

"Just one last question Helen, I promise," assured John.

"In that case, I'm going to fetch more biscuits," Helen stood up brusquely and marched out.

As soon as she was gone John turned to James.

"So, what is it old boy?" asked John.

"It was the 8th, I believe," said James.

"Hmm…interesting," said John.

"How do you mean?" James looked at John curiously.

"This will sound awful weird, but I could've sworn I saw Nikola walking the streets that day," said John.

"What are you insinuating?" James eyes John weirdly.

"You told me about your theory about Tabram and the others; he progression, the perfecting his method, no motive except for blood…"

"Are you saying Tesla is the Whiterchapel murderer?" asked Nigel.

"Maybe not willingly, who knows what control he has over the beast inside him…just hear me out. The letter you received, it was mark the 17th, you received it a week later, which by express mail covers the distance for a letter to travel from New York to London, approximately…"

"Go on," James listened carefully.

"We've seen the extent of Nikola's abilities; he's fast, strong, and uncontrolled…"

"Enough to get in, mutilate, then get out unnoticed," added Nigel, his eyes widening.

"And you've established the killer's pattern. He kills either on weekends or at the end of the month. It is almost the end of the month, and guess whose in town promoting his AC generator alongside his backer George Westinghouse?"

James sat and puzzled over the information.

"My dear John, you've been keeping an eye on our old friend," said James with a quizzical expression.

"Only since it occurred to me that he's been making regular trips to fair London for the past month," said John seriously.

"It works! The break between Tabram and Nichols…" cried Nigel.

"His stint with Edison's electric chair," added James.

"It adds up, doesn't it Jimmy," said John.

"No, wait! Why would he murder whores? If anything he'd murder electricians," said James shaking his head.

"Loveless, nameless targets he can practice on," shrugged John.

"And if I'm right in guessing he's perfecting his method on some ultimate goal, who could that possibly be?"

Realization dawned on all three of them.

"Helen," James vocalized what they were all thinking.

"Exactly, the old boy has always carried a torch for her," nodded John.

"Maybe the electric nap caused him to snap?" said Nigel.

"Or his possessiveness towards her, remember what he said when he had turned," said John.

"He said something along the lines of She's Mine, no one can have her," nodded James.

"It's enough to bring him in for questioning," said John.

"You bastards!" cried Helen from behind them, she was standing in the archway, face turning red with anger.

"Uh, how much of that did you hear?" asked Nigel nervously.

"Enough," she glared at the three of them. "How dare you assume Nikola to be some murderer!"

"The evidence is there, and we're not saying he did it, but it does raise some suspicions," James stood up and went over to her.

"Your suspicions are base and foundationless!" she fumed.

"Helen, he might not be doing this as a conscious effort, it could very well be that creature inside him. We barely understand the nature of vampires, or the predilection for violence, it could be way out of his control," said James calmly.

"He stopped for a bit, maybe something about electricity kept it at bay," added Nigel.

"There is too much at risk not to ask," said John, taking his fiancés hand in his. "He could be coming after you next."

Helen looked at John for a long moment.

"John, it's Nikola," she said softly.

"Which is exactly why we have to find him before Scotland Yard does," said James.

"It's for his own safety, as well as theirs," added Nigel.

"Alright, but we do it the nice way first," she looked at them sternly.

"Do we know where he is?" asked James.

"I've kept in contact with Westinghouse ever since I made light of my suspicions, I know exactly where he is," nodded John.

"Take me there, let me talk to him first, hopefully I can convince him to come back here and let us check him over," said Helen.

"And if that doesn't work?" asked Nigel.

"John we teleport me back here pick you two up and you three can go after him guns a-blazing," she sighed.

They nodded in agreement.

"We'll be ready for him," said James he gestured to Nigel and they ran out of the room.

John watched as Helen took a long, deep breath.

"You don't have to do this Helen, I can fetch him on my own," said John.

"No, if he'll listen to reason, he'll listen to me," she sighed walking out of the room and collecting her pistol from its stand.

"Just in case," she assured John.

She opened up the jacket and slipped the pistol inside before buttoning it back up again.

"Alright, I'm ready," she nodded to John and he took her hand.

_**~~~~Across Town~~~~**_

Nikola excused himself from the meeting, he claimed having to use the bathroom, when really he just wanted to get away from all the people. They were stuffy and pushy, demanding he show them the best he had to offer, he had to show them because they were key to worldwide distribution of his patents.

He'd been in meetings with them for months, using London as neutral ground, he'd disliked all the travel as it took him away from his lab almost every weekend since the middle of august.

It was all part of Westinghouse's plan, to win the battle of the currents, in Nikola's mind though, he had already won by showing up a week after his abduction and staring Edison straight in the eye.

The halls of the building were long and winding and he quietly stalked through the corridors to get some breathing room.

He turned the corner and was met with two familiar faces, and an even more familiar barrel of a pistol pointed straight at his heart.

"Helen? John?" he froze, not really wanting to be shot again.

"Nikola, we have to talk," said Helen, her finger on the trigger.

"What about?" asked Nikola, gulping audibly, he wasn't scared, just very confused.

"Come with us and we won't have to cause a ruckus," Helen said sternly.

Nikola looked past the gun at her.

"Helen? What is this about?" he asked cautiously.

"That's what we're here to find out, so you either come with us willingly or we take you by force," Helen was not kidding, the tone of her voice said as much.

"I don't know what you think I have done now, but you're wrong," he sighed attempting to push by them but John blocked his path. "Let me go, Helen!"

"I can't do that, Nikola, I have some questions I need answers for," she glared at him.

"Then ask them!" he growled.

"Does the name Mary Ann Nichols ring a bell?" asked Helen.

"What?" Nikola looked at her funny.

"What about Annie Chapman?" she asked, bitterness creeping into her tone.

"I have no idea what you are referring to," Nikola growled and turned to head the other way but John teleported and blocked his path again.

"Stop lying to me Nikola, I could always tell when you were lying to me," she growled, her grip on the pistol growing tighter.

"I'm not lying!" he growled with frustration. "You have no right to treat me like this!"

"Fine, Nikola! I tried to be civil, and I'm sorry, but I need you to come with me, whether you like it or not," Helen nodded to John who immediately teleported her away then teleported back grabbing Nikola from behind.

Nikola felt a small pinch at the back of his neck and suddenly he felt himself starting to morph into his vampiric form.

"Gigs up, old boy," whispered John.

They teleported back into the Sanctuary.

Upon re-entry Nikola snarled breaking loose of John's grip and lunging for him.

Two pairs of strong hands grabbed Nikola's arm, ripping open the sleeves and injecting a sedative into his arm.

"As soon as I teleported you away he went crazy," shouted John as Nikola lowered to his knees, the sedative only calming him down, allowing him to morph back into his human form.

"I guess that answers a few questions," said Nigel.

Nikola struggled weakly to break free from James and Nigel's grip.

"Let go of me!" he cried.

"You're out of control, Nikola!" cried James.

"It's not me!" Nikola growled, trying to yank his arms away.

"You're the ripper, aren't you Nikola?" asked John, leaning in front of Nikola.

"Ripper? What?" Nikola looked him in the eyes.

"That black-eyed demon in you has a nasty taste for bloodlust," continued John.

"I've been taking my medication! I have no idea what you're talking about," Nikola vamped just enough to garner strength to push off James and Nigel.

"We've been tracking your movement, you were here around the time of every murder, a murder committed by those claws!" shouted John.

"I haven't murdered anyone!" Nikola shouted back.

"Tell that to the beast that tried to attack Helen, if I hadn't teleported her away," John brought his fist straight into contact with Nikola's stomach.

Nikola coughed and sputtered.

"John, stop!" shouted Helen. She was standing a ways away watching all of it. Seeing Nikola so out of control confirmed it to her, he had killed those women, she felt it in her gut.

She gritted her teeth and walked, slowly, powerfully up to Nikola.

"Helen..." whimpered Nikola.

Helen brought her hand back; the slap echoed off the walls of the main lab, it was cold and hard, and angry, just like she felt.

"How could you, Nikola?" she asked harshly.

"No, Helen, I didn't…"

"Stop lying to me! I am sick of hearing it, Nikola!" she glared fiercely at him. "How dare you act like you're the victim, after what you did to those women."

"Helen, you know me. I may be many things but I am not a murderer," he pleaded.

"Take him away, restrain him fully," she ordered to James and Nigel.

They nodded.

"No! Helen! I am not a murderer!" cried Nikola as the two men dragged him away. "Helen! You know I didn't do it! I am not a murderer!" he cried, desperation running through him.

Helen closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks; she turned her face so he wouldn't see them, trying to drown him out.

"Helen! I am not a murderer! It's John! IT'S JOHN! I am not a murderer!"

His voice finally faded as he was taken far enough away. Then she broke down.

John wrapped her arms around her.

"It's alright, we caught him before he could hurt anyone else," John's voice was calm as he kissed the side of her head.

"How could he? How could we let him? This is all my fault," she sobbed.

"It's not, it's that creature," he softly sighed. "We'll find a way to cure him, I know we will."

Helen pulled out of his arms.

"Excuse me John, I want to be alone," she walked away, tears still flowing down her cheeks.

John growled when she was gone. He had more to do before this would be over.


	27. A Framing in Whitechapel (2)

Chapter 27 – A Framing In Whitechapel Part 2

_**~~~~September 29, 1888~~~~**_

Nikola snarled as he tried, in vain, to break his bonds. Apparently Helen had done her research, his restraints were vampire proof, at least for the moment. If he worked hard enough, maybe he could break free in a week or so.

James was hovering above him, acting like the doctor he was; Nigel was nearby with a gun full of sedative darts in case Nikola caused trouble.

"James, James! Release me, please, you know me, I would never kill anybody, please!" he whimpered, trying to get James' attention.

"As much as I would like to believe you, we simply don't know that," said James.

"I am in control, I have always been! I mean, occasionally someone cuts their self I get a little distracted by the scent, but not so much as to feed on anybody, much less kill them!" Nikola pleaded.

"The evidence is there, Nikola, you can't argue with that," James walked away to rifle through his notes and Nikola groaned.

This was a bloody mess, and he knew who was behind it.

John was growing more aggressive, from threats, to tossing him off balconies, to this, and no one would believe him, they all trusted John implicitly. Nikola, again, was the outsider.

He was in the main lab, strapped to an operating table of some kind, covered in rubber in case he tried to shock them, it was secured to the floor so he wouldn't be able to move it, and he was restrained from head to foot in the special material.

He had a forehead and chin strap to keep him from biting, arm and leg restraints to keep him from slicing and kicking, and 3 long straps over his chest, hips and thighs to keep him still.

John had really outdone himself this time.

He heard the door of the lab open and his vampiric senses smelt the man's horrendous cologne instantly.

"Well, well Nikola," said John, walking up to Nikola and leaning over him, a devious and cruel smirk on his face. "That wasn't very nice, upsetting the lady."

"John, why are you doing this?" Nikola glared at him.

"You are a danger, a threat that has to be stopped," John said, twisting it to sound like he was talking about the Ripper murders. "I will not let you hurt more."

Nikola growled low in his throat.

"You are wrong!" Nikola said, staying just as cryptic as John was.

"We'll see about that," John turned to James. "Is it all coming together?"

"Almost, there's just some things I need to know," said James who turned to Nikola. "What was the point in removing the uterus?"

Nikola shook his head.

"I don't know, ask the real killer!" he spat sardonically.

"Why did you remove 5 teeth from the mouth of Mary Ann Nichols? Was it because you couldn't feed on her?" continued James.

"I don't know who Mary Ann Nichols is, why aren't you listening to me?" Nikola growled with frustration.

"Yet you didn't remove the teeth of Annie Chapman, you instead tied a handkerchief around her severed throat, why?" asked James.

"I don't know! I don't KNOW! Why can't you hear me?" shouted Nikola.

John just watched with a sly smile.

"Why send us a letter?" asked James.

"I didn't, as I've been saying, I didn't murder anyone!" Nikola squeezed his eyes shut as he whimpered, trying to struggle.

"What is the importance of the uterus?" James asked again.

"I am not the murderer!" cried Nikola.

James slammed the folder down on the floor, his own frustration.

He grabbed Nikola's throat, squeezing.

"This is not a game, Nikola! You fit everything! Just tell us the truth!" shouted James.

"I didn't lay a hand on these women!" Nikola choked out.

"I made contact with Scotland Yard's American counterparts, looking for any similar cases in New York and the surrounding area, this is what they gave me!" James pulled out a file from the folder he dropped on the floor. "A young women by the name of Bianca Waller was found dead the weekend two weeks before the death of Nichols! The same modus operandi as these cases! How is that not clear?" shouted James showing Nikola the picture of the poor women disemboweled, her throat slit.

Nikola looked away, feeling the need of gag. He hadn't seen the poor girl since he turned her away from his lab after he had crawled his way back from being dropped out of the window at Westinghouse's estate.

"Oh god!" he gasped. "It wasn't me!"

"How can you say that, Nikola? You've been caught! Confess! I can promise your name will not be mentioned to the Yard, but I need the truth!" said James.

Nikola whimpered.

"I'm telling you the truth!" spat Nikola.

"Enough! John!" James gestured to John, gathering his folder and walking out.

John pulled out a long knife and twiddled it in fingers.

"Now, old chum, let's see how fast you can actually heal…"

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Helen paced through the study, she couldn't watch, couldn't even handle the thought of what they were doing to Nikola downstairs, even more so she couldn't believe what Nikola had done to deserve it.

The whole situation had her skin crawling, something felt wrong; something didn't fit. She could still hear Nikola's desperate voice ring through her ears.

He had said something about John, something that stuck, hauntingly.

James came into the study.

"This is impossible," he muttered.

"What is it, what's wrong?" she came up to him.

"Nikola is stubborn, either he knows the truth but he refuses to tell, or he isn't aware of his actions, the vampire may have a mind of it's own, in that case then we have to find a way to release it," James sat down and rested and hand on his chin. "There might be something to Nigel's electric theory."

Helen sat down across from him.

"James, what if it isn't him?" she asked.

James sighed and handed her the file.

"Bianca Waller," he confirmed. "Who else could've done that?"

Helen looked away for a moment.

"You're right," she said quietly, "I guess I just don't want to believe it."

"No one wants to believe it, Helen, and the truth is we won't get any answer from Nikola unless we devise a way to lure it out of him," sighed James.

"I might have something that could work," said Helen. "But I'll be the one to use it, if Nikola truly is my friend he will not lie to me."

"I'm afraid of the possibility he doesn't realize he's lying, but Bianca is unassailable proof, I'm sure of it," James rested his head in the palm of his hand. He looked exhausted; this case was draining so much energy from him.

"I'll know," Helen said sternly.

James looked at her for a long moment then sighed.

"Alright."

_**~~~~Back in the Main Lab~~~~**_

Nikola cried out again as the sharp blade slid across his chest.

"You bastard!" he growled, in his unnaturally deep voice.

"I think it speaks more truth about you than you've ever spoken in your whole life," laughed John.

He had carved the words "I Am Jack" into the thin skin below his throat, right above his heart.

Water formed in Nikola's eyes from the force he was squeezing his eyes with.

"John that's enough!" shouted Nigel.

"I think we should give him the same treatment he gives women, don't you think so Nikola?" John smirked.

"Go to hell!" spat Nikola.

"I'll meet you there," John whispered to Nikola, bringing his fist down hard onto Nikola's abdomen.

"That's enough, John! We're not here to torture him!" Nigel pushed him away. "If he's guilty we will deal with him the proper way, but so far I have not heard any admission of guilt and we will not pressure it out of him!"

Nigel glared at John.

John backed away, taking out a handkerchief and wiping the blade clean.

Nigel eyed the words written on Nikola's chest.

"Was that really necessary?" asked Nigel to John.

John shrugged.

"You scare me sometimes, John," Nigel sighed and went back to his original position, his hand resting on the butt of his specialized weapon.

John smirked and looked back at Nikola.

"Just having a little fun with him," John tucked the knife back into his belt.

"I didn't think schoolmasters carried weapons," muttered Nikola.

"Oh we don't, this blade I reserved especially for you," John glared at him.

"Is this how you punish your students?" spat Nikola.

"Of course not," snarled John.

"He passed the bar, Nikola, he's going to be a lawyer now, just leave it at that," interjected Nigel, he was visibly uncomfortable with their fighting.

"Let me guess, criminal law?" Nikola laughed sarcastically.

"Stop it!" Nigel snapped. "Just stop it, please."

Nikola and John shut their mouths, but glared at each other with disdain.

The door to the lab opened and Helen came in, swiftly and quietly making her way over to Nikola.

"Helen," Nikola's face brightened slightly, seeing her come in. "Helen, I swear I haven't done anything."

"That is yet to be determined," Helen said coldly.

"Please Helen, you of all people know that I wouldn't hurt anyone!" he pleaded with his eyes, he didn't care if the rest of them believed him, but she had to.

Helen refused to look him in the eye.

"I'm here to give you your medication," she pulled out a hypodermic. "Hopefully this will help clear some things up."

She injected it into his arm and suddenly, like a wave, Nikola rippled into his vampiric form, baring his long pointy teeth.

Helen didn't even flinch just put the needle down.

"Now, did you murder Mary Ann Nichols?" she asked.

He growled loudly.

"No!" he said in his deep voice.

"Did you murder Annie Chapman?" she asked again.

"No!"

"Did you murder Martha Tabram?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

"No!" he grew increasingly frustrated.

"Did you murder Bianca Waller?"

"NO! I am not a murderer! How many times do I have to say it? I AM NOT A MURDERER!"

Helen slammed her palm on the side of the table.

"Who are you planning to murder next?" she asked, raising her voice to match his.

"NO ONE!"

"YOU'RE LYING!" she shouted.

He snarled loudly, snapping his jaw.

"Is that the same anger that killed all those women? Are those the fangs you used to slit their throats, or did you use these claws?" she spat, grabbing his clawed hand.

Nikola whimpered in desperation, in frustration.

"I didn't murder them Helen, what ever he has told you or led you to believe it's a lie! I swear! You have to believe me!" Nikola cried, turning into his human state so he wouldn't accidentally hurt her.

"I can't believe a thing you say anymore, Nikola, not when there is five women in the morgue you have so obviously slaughtered!" she released his hand and headed for the door. "Leave him, this interrogation is getting us nowhere, Nigel stand guard, John will relieve you at midnight, James will take over the watch after that, then I will."

They all nodded.

"Please! Helen! You have to believe me! I didn't kill those women! I didn't! Helen! HELEN!" Nikola cried, his eyes following her.

John smiled slyly before slowly following Helen out. John after, then finally Nigel.

"Sorry, chap, I wish it hadn't come to this," Nigel said to Nikola, showing him a small amount of pity, possibly out of courtesy for their old friendship.

The door locked behind him, and Nikola let out an exasperated sigh.

He blinked away a small droplet forming at the corner of his eye.

She hated him, they all did, and he hadn't even done anything. They were so quick to assume he had done it. John was poisoning their opinions of him, all except for sweet Nigel, who seemed to teeter-totter between guilty and non-guilty.

Guilty until proven innocent.

Nikola whimpered slightly as the words marked on his chest healed, but the pain in his chest remained.

_**~~~~Quarter to Midnight~~~~**_

John stalked through the dark halls, keeping to the shadows, as if he were one of them himself.

He fingered the end of the blade hidden up his sleeve; he felt the slap of his gun against his thigh with every step.

He made it to his destination.

In front of the door was a tired Nigel, slowly falling asleep at his post.

"Surely you should get to bed, dear Nigel," he said, breaking the silence.

Nigel shook his head, his droopy eyes only coming half open.

"Oh good, you're here," Nigel yawned. "I thought you'd never show up."

"Go to bed, I'll keep watch of the vampire," John patted the young man on the back.

"Alright, I…" before the poor guy had a chance to finish his thought he dropped to the floor, completely unconscious.

John tucked the dart gun back into his belt.

"I'm sorry, Nigel, don't need you in my way again," muttered John.

John opened the door to the lab and creeped in. Nikola, who was still awake turned his head at the sound.

"What are you doing here?" he growled.

John didn't say anything but kept stalking forward.

"I know what you're doing, and you won't get away with it!" cried Nikola.

"They won't believe otherwise," John finally said.

"I'm not the murderer and you know it! But you do know who it is, and you are using them to frame me for lord knows whatever I did to you!" spat Nikola.

"Right on the money, dear friend," laughed John.

"What? You make a deal with the Ripper?" asked Nikola.

"Something like that," shrugged John.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want with me?" Nikola cried.

"You think I don't notice the way you look at her, the little glances you share with her from across the room. She is mine, Nikola, and I intend to keep her. If that means getting rid of all the men that threaten to take her away, so be it," said John stiffly. He hovered over Nikola menacingly.

"What are you going to do, slice me into little pieces and claim self-defense?" Nikola glared at him.

"No, I want you to run, run as fast as you can, because when we catch you I want you to have a good excuse for the blood on your hands," John removed the restraints, grabbing Nikola by the wrists, pulling him to his feet. "Show me your claws, Nikola."

Nikola felt a slight pinch and suddenly was overwhelmed as he vamped, his finger nails stretching out into long sharp talons.

Without a word John plunged the sharp claws into his side, his grip releasing instantly as he grunted in pain.

"Now run, Nikola!" he laughed, dark and evil.

Nikola watched wide-eyed terror and retracted his claws immediately.

"HELP!" cried John in convincing terror.

Nikola panicked and ran, the blood thick on his fingers, dripping on to the floor. He saw Nigel lying in the hallway and he leaned down to check if he was still alive.

John appeared behind him in the doorway.

"HELP! HE'S GONE MAD!" John cried again, pulling his gun out and shooting at him, the dart whizzed by Nikola's ear. Nikola got up, leaving Nigel and running, running to get away from Helen and James who would be arriving soon, he didn't want to be here when that happened. He could already hear them running down the staircase.

Nikola didn't have time to make it to the door so he smashed through the nearest window landing in a bush outside. A moment of disorientation slowed him down for a second but he quickly got up and jumped over the high wall of the Sanctuary and onto the cobbled stones of the street.

Helen heard John's cry and had grabbed her gun as quickly as she could, not even bothering to change out of her nightgown.

The scene in the corridor was clear. Nigel was lying face down, uninjured but it was clear that Nikola had attempted to finish him from the blood smears on his neck, right above the pulse point. John was lying in the doorway, gun in one hand and the other covering the series of four stab wounds going up his side.

"What happened?" cried James, coming down behind Helen.

"He escaped!" shouted John.

"Nigel, dear lord, what happened?" James knelt down by the man turning him over.

"He got hit by a sleeping dart," said James.

"That was from me, I missed hitting Nikola," said John, he winced in pain.

"Darling, are you alright?" Helen knelt by John.

"Just some superficial stab wounds Helen, I'm more concerned for who ever is out there," he grunted slightly as she checked the wounds. They were not dissimilar to the wounds that covered the body of Martha Tabram. "I stopped him before he could get to Nigel."

Helen nodded.

"How could he have gotten free?" asked Helen.

"I don't know, he's clever," groaned John.

"We tested those straps, they were meant to be completely vampire proof," said James.

"I don't know, James! Maybe Nikola has some tricks up his sleeve that we can't account for, all I know is when I got here to relieve Nigel, Nikola was free and going after Nigel as his next victim!" shouted John.

Helen noticed the shattered window down the corridor.

"He escaped down there," she pointed to the window.

"We have to find him, who knows who he'll kill next," said James.

John stood up shakily.

"Patch me up quickly Helen, I can cover more ground, you know I can, just stop the bleeding so I can get out there and stop him," John took her hand. "Please Helen."

She nodded.

"Come with me, I need two minutes."

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Nikola kept running, he had no destination in mind, he was just running, knowing soon enough he would have John and the others on his tail.

He saw a street post whiz by him and he stopped.

His unnatural speed had made the world mostly a blur but something about this sign caught his eye.

WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT

Nikola felt a wave of nausea come over him and his left leg threatened to buckle. John had given him something, something that led him here.

He traced the sign with the edge of a fingernail.

He was being framed, John was in kahoots with the Ripper, the two of them were in this together, had to be, it was the only thing that made sense. John offered Jack an escape goat, someone to take the fall for his murders, and in turn John got Nikola out of his way. It made perfect sense. Nikola just had to find Jack before John found him. Helen would get a real confession.

Nikola ran at normal human speed, sniffing the air for blood, aside from the blood on his fingers.

He sniffed for anything peculiar; anything out of the ordinary.

The air of Whitechapel was stale, infused with horse manure, and cheap beer. Their were small cheers coming from the pub down the street, a horse whinnied beyond that, he could hear the wheels of a pony-cart not far away either.

From what James had described to him and from what he had read in newspapers, Jack The Ripper went after prostitutes. Nikola could start there.

Nikola ran down to the pub, his eyes scouting for anyone Jack The Ripper would target.

He slowed himself down to a walk and tried to cover his hands to the best of his abilities.

"Lonely tonight, gent?" came a voice and Nikola spun to it.

"Uh…yes…" he said, blinking at the woman. Her dress was ratty and frayed her teeth were a placid shade of beer-stained yellow. Not his usual taste, but then again, he was not looking for her company.

"My rate is three pence, but for a good-looking chap like you I'll lower it to two," she grinned.

"I assure you it's unnecessary," he took her hand. "Come quickly," he dragged her into the closest alley.

"Easy gent! You haven't even paid me yet!" she cried and Nikola smothered her mouth with his hand.

"Shhhh! Listen to me!" he whispered, holding her still.

"You're in danger! You have to get off the street, or he'll kill you.

"What? Wait! You're him, that ripper fellow that's been killing girls the last few weeks."

She pulled away from him.

"No, no, I'm not!"

"Is that blood on your hands?" she cried, horrified.

"No, you don't realize…"

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" she screamed suddenly.

Nikola grabbed her hand trying to calm her down but she ended up screaming louder.

"IT'S THE RIPPER!"

Nikola realized pulling her into a dark alley, may not have been the smartest move.

He released her and ran out of the alleyway, running before anyone came to her rescue.

"I heard shouting!" a tall man ran up the road to where he had heard the ladies distress.

She stumbled out of the alleyway frightened and wide-eyed.

"He went that way!" she cried pointing in the direction Nikola had gone.

"Are you hurt?" asked the man.

"No, I screamed before he had a chance to lay a hand on me," she sighed with relief.

"What is your name miss?" asked the man, politely.

"Elizabeth…Stride," she said, looking at the man.

"Well, Elizabeth Stride, my name is John Druitt, and I am going to make sure no harm comes to you," he led her away down the street, the hand at the small of her back as he opened the gate to a yard.

"You should be safe here, until I apprehend the perpetrator," he said calmly.

"Thank you kindly, Mr. Druitt," she shivered slightly.

"If you survive you should tell the cops exactly who you saw," he reached into his belt carefully.

"Pardon me?" she turned around only to collapse unconscious on the ground, a sleep dart embedded in her shoulder

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

The carriage was moving too slow for her, too slow for the horrors some poor woman could be facing at the hands of The Ripper.

Even though the evidence clearly pointed to Nikola, there was something that didn't add up, something that didn't click completely. Every ounce of logic told her that Nikola was the Ripper, but there was something in her heart that just couldn't accept it. Not until she heard it from him.

James was besides her, rifling through every single one of his notes.

"I think I know why he chose Whitechapel, most murders there are considered gangs fights, gang rapes, young boys with no present or future, or moral compass. Murder a whore or two there, no one notices, except for me, and he knew that. Looking at Scotland Yard's case file for all murders committed there in the last few years I noticed a spike in activity shortly after you returned from New York…the trip when you and Nikola…had a little bit of a heart to heart," James said knowingly, trying not to tip off Nigel, who wasn't really listening anyway.

"How shortly?" she asked.

"About a month maybe two," said, James. "The first attack being in February, some girl known as Annie Millwood, she survived it only to die about a month later of a sudden pulmonary failure, but what's interesting is the similarities from this case to the case of Martha Tabram. Close to the time of Annie's death there was an attempted robbery turned stabbing of an Ada Wilson, all in progression of violence and method, then Martha, a full-fledged stabbing."

"He's been practicing for quite some time," said Nigel, finally tuning in.

"Seems like it, and it is all stemming from after his visit with you, Helen," said James.

"I rejected him…and he's taking it out on others," she bit her lip. The evidence was piling up against Nikola.

"It looks that way," he sighed.

"What? Rejected him? When?" asked Nigel, they had forgotten that he'd entered the conversation.

"Nothing," said Helen.

"Look, if Nikola is going to go crazy and attack you, Helen, I want to know! I don't want a repeat of the night he was vamped," said Nigel honestly.

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that, Nigel," she smiled gratefully at him.

They reached the Whitechapel District.

They saw John on the street, the front of his shirt was bloodstained.

"John what happened?" asked Helen.

"Found his most recent victim, the police should be here soon," said John.

"Are you hurt?" asked Nigel.

"No, this was from the body, there was another found not half hour ago, identified as Elizabeth Stride, this girl is apparently named Eddowes, Catherine, Nikola can't be far, she was killed not a few minutes ago, I just missed him," said John.

"Two women in one night?" asked James.

"He's on a rampage, we need to find him before he kills another," said John.

Helen nodded, any idea where he went?" asked Helen.

John pointed down the road.

"That way, I'm sure I saw him down that way," said John. "And James, Eddowes ear has been cut."

James growled.

"That bastard," he snarled. "Following his word to the letter."

"Can you teleport to try and catch him?" asked Helen.

"I can try," nodded John.

In a flash he was gone.

"Faster!" she said to the driver.

The carriage picked up speed and Helen held on tight as the wheels went over the cobbled streets, bumpy and rough.

Nikola ran at human speed, hearing the carriage not far off his trail. He looked behind him to see if her could catch a glimpse of his tail. He could just see the bobbing heads of the horses pulling the carriage.

Nikola froze for a moment, wanting to make it easier on him, if he let them capture them he could plead his case, but then again, they already thought he was guilty.

He turned to keep running but a voomf sound and in a puff or red-orange John stood in front of him.

"Haven't you been busy, Jack," said John, smiling slyly.

"I-I haven't done anything," Nikola sucked in a ragged breath.

"Tell that to Helen," said John.

John teleported again, only a few feet so that he was right beside Nikola; throwing his arms around Nikola and holding him tightly.

Nikola squirmed and struggled.

"It would be of more benefit to you not to struggle," said John.

Nikola didn't listen to him and used his vampiric strength to push him off and throw him across the street.

"I can't go back! You have them all convinced! You'll lock me up, no matter what I say," Nikola whimpered.

"Indeed, but you won't be killed instantly if you cooperate," smirked John.

Nikola felt another pinch and suddenly his claws and fangs stretched out, he was looming over John, teeth bared, looking ready to strike. He tried his hardest to control himself.

John just smiled more.

The carriage came slamming down the road and to a screeching halt.

Nikola stood over John menacingly.

Helen jumped out of the carriage, gun pointed at Nikola. James and Nigel followed, also armed.

"Nikola, stop!" she shouted.

Upon seeing her Nikola stopped and garnered enough control to reign in his vampire traits.

"Helen!" he looked at her. "You don't understand, please Helen, listen to me! It wasn't me!"

Helen fired, the shot landing in his shoulder.

"No, Helen!" he gasped falling to his knees. "It was John!"

"Shut up!" she strode over and used the heel of her boot to lower him to ground. The sedative was running its course through his system, effectively weakening him. "I can't believe you anymore."

She shot him again and his eyes squeezed shut.

"I didn't do it, Helen, please," he whimpered groggily. "It was John…John set me up…I'm framed!"

Helen brought her hand up and slapped him across the cheek, her heel digging into his shoulder.

"Enough!" she cried and shot him again and his eyes finally rolled back into skull and he lay unconscious.

Helen went over to John and helped him to his feet.

"Good work, John," she said.

John nodded pulling out a handkerchief and wiping the blade of a knife he had up his sleeve.

Helen eyed the knife curiously.

"Why didn't you use your gun?" she asked.

"I didn't have time to reach for it, he attacked me before, the knife was the only thing I could grab in time, in self-defense," said John easily; Helen watched his eyes as he spoke.

"At least your safe," she smiled weakly looking over at Nikola. "Nikola, unfortunately, is too dangerous to keep alive."

She looked down sadly.

"We can't hand him over to the police…we'll have to kill him ourselves."


	28. A Framing in Whitechapel (3)

Chapter 28 – A Framing in Whitechapel Part 3

_**~~~~October 1, 1888~~~~**_

Helen felt all eyes on her as she stepped into the study.

John sat in his chair cradling a glass of port; James sat across from him, chin resting on his hand, staring at the fire, and Nigel paced nervously.

When she entered all three men stood to full height.

"We have to kill him," she said sadly.

They nodded.

"He could escape again and we can't risk Scotland Yard finding him, just as much as we can't let him go free," she continued, twiddling her thumbs.

"It can't be easy, vampires are immortal…to a point," said James.

"There are ways, ways discovered by the Christians to effectively wipe them out, all positively medieval," she sighed. "There is beheading, separating the head from the body, despite immortality they cannot grow back a new head. There is a medieval practice, they called it Purifying The Demon, the priest would cover the vampire in holy oil, cut out it's heart, and pray for it's healing, again, there is only so much a vampire can grow back, if you stab the heart it will mend itself, but remove it completely there is nothing to heal."

None of those options sounded humane to the group, James visibly tensed at the thought of having to _'Purify'_ Nikola.

"Are there more…decent ways?" asked John.

"This," Helen held up a hypodermic filled with a black liquid.

"The Christians developed it, called it the 'Hand of Death' a lethal mixture of sulpheric acid and other poisons any alchemist would've had in stock at the time, they would make the vampires ingest it, it killed them in a matter of seconds, before they had time to heal," the three of them looked at the vial in semi-horror. "This is slightly modified, hopefully the pain will be greatly reduced and he will simply just slip away."

Helen held strong. As much as she was angry at Nikola for what he had done, she also didn't want to kill one of her oldest friends, but it was something she had to do.

"Helen, you don't have to do this, you don't have to be apart of this, John or I could do it," said James, coming up to her.

"No, I have to do this and you know it," she shuddered slightly. "I created this, I'm the one who should end it."

James put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"John, you and Nigel get him ready, I have something I need to say to James in private," she looked at the two of them and they nodded.

"We'll meet you in the lab," said Nigel.

"No, not there, bring him to my personal study," said Helen.

They nodded and headed for the door. John gave her one last glance before shutting the door.

"Wonder what that's about?" said Nigel as soon as John shut the door behind him.

"Probably to talk about how he will dismiss the Ripper Case to the blunders at the Yard," shrugged John.

"She needed a private conversation to do that?" Nigel looked at him with a puzzled expression, falling into step beside John.

"It's something we don't need to be around for, let's get Tesla ready so he can say his prayers before his time is up," said John quickening his pace.

The two of them reached the cells in the lower levels where Nikola was firmly strapped down.

John walked in first.

"Good morning Jack, sleep well," she said snidely.

Nikola cracked his eyes open, glaring at John.

"Don't call me that," growled Nikola.

"It's what you are, isn't it?" John growled back.

"This would go much easier if you two would just let it go," said Nigel, not looking Nikola in the eye.

"Where are you taking me? Where's Helen? I need to speak with her!" cried Nikola.

"You'll see her," said John cryptically, unhooking one of the legs of the gurney.

Nigel sighed, still keeping his eyes fixed downwards.

"What's wrong?" Nikola noticed Nigel's behavior. "Where are you taking me?"

"I promised not to spoil the surprise," John smiled wryly.

"Sorry about this, mate," said Nigel shooting him with a sedative.

Nikola slipped unconscious, his body going limp.

"Must you do that, John?" growled Nigel. "You're always goading him, isn't it bad enough already? Must you press buttons!"

"He's a killer!" yelled John.

"He's also a friend, I don't care if he's Jack The Ripper of Genghis Khan! He is apart of this team, his death deserves a modicum of respect, it's that creature inside him. If we could extract it we would!"

John's mouth tightened.

"How can you defend him?" he growled.

"I'm not defending his actions, and I'm not saying he doesn't deserve what's coming to him, but I still have to deal with him being our friend, a member of the Five…it's not just black and white, John," Nigel sighed heavily. "Let's just get this over with without a fuss, alright?"

John nodded silently and picked up Nikola immediately teleporting to Helen's study and leaving him on the floor as he teleported to grab the necessary materials to restrain him properly.

He returned, moving a chair to the center of the room. Nigel arrived with the special material that James and he had developed especially for Nikola's vampiric strength.

"We need the dart guns," said John and Nigel nodded leaving to fetch them.

John sat a still unconscious Nikola in the chair, binding his hands and feet tightly.

After he was sure they were secure he brought his fist around and hit Nikola hard in the face.

Nikola shook awake, the bruise left by John's fist healing instantly.

Nikola grunted and blinked trying to reorient himself, he felt a pain in his head, and not long after, a pain in his gut.

John grabbed him by the hair.

"Wakey wakey, Tesla, old boy," John laughed evilly and Nikola shuddered at the sound.

"Welcome to your execution," John whispered into his ear.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

The heels of Helen's boots clicked on the hardwood floor of the hallway leading to her personal study. The trip from the main study to hers was a long silent one. James walked behind her; both were not talking as they walked past the walls of paintings and tapestries, heirlooms her father had saved.

She held the cold glass hypodermic in her hand, it was wrapped in a cloth so she didn't accidentally inject it into another.

She was afraid to talk, in case the crippling fear inside her be voiced and then the whole operation would fall apart.

"There you are," said Nigel, joining them, he handed a dart gun to the both of them. "Just in case," he said softly.

Helen could sense his unease.

"It won't hurt him," said Helen in an attempt to comfort him.

"I know…I just don't want to see it…" he sighed.

"This is hard on all of us, Nigel, we all have to be strong through this…together," said James.

"Right…together," Nigel kept his head downcast but without another word he opened the door to the study. Helen walked in first, her heart clenching at the sight of Nikola. His eyes wide and petrified, John stood behind him, his arms crossed.

James found a spot and stood sullenly, his hand under his chin as always.

Nikola's eyes searched all their faces.

"H-Helen?" he looked at her, a slight panic growing in his chest.

"I'm sorry it has come to this, Nikola, but there is nothing I can do for you," she stepped up to him slowly.

"H-Helen, p-please…" Nikola looked at her, then at the item in her hand.

"I promise it won't hurt, Nikola," she said, trying to remain calm as he was slowly becoming frightened.

She knelt down in front of him and rested the needle on her lap; she slowly started to roll up his sleeve.

"You've become too dangerous to keep alive," she continued. This was harder than she imagined it.

"No, no, Helen! I didn't do it!" cried Nikola; he started to struggle in a vain attempt to get away. "Please you have to believe me!"

Helen bit her lip and unwrapped the hypodermic lifting it up to his eyes.

"You should be dead instantly, hopefully without any pain," she felt her eyes blur slightly as she looked into his very frightened eyes.

"No, Helen! I'm not a murderer!" he cried, trying to break free from his bonds.

"Please, Nikola, don't make this harder than it already is," she removed the stopper from the top of the needle.

"I'm not a murderer! I'm not a murderer!" Nikola panicked, his eyes searching for mercy in any of the faces surrounding him. "Stop, Helen, please!"

"John, Nigel, hold him still, please," Helen said softly.

John stepped up behind the char and held down Nikola's upper torso as Nigel, hesitantly came over and grabbed his other arm. In response, Nikola struggled more.

"No! I'm not the murderer! I didn't do it! James! Helen!" Nikola pleaded.

None of them had heard him sound so afraid, it was hard for James to watch.

"James! Stop this, please! I never hurt anyone! I didn't do this! I was framed! I don't want to die!" cried Nikola and James closed his eyes, trying to remain objective.

Helen's heart clenched hearing Nikola scream and cry, frightened beyond belief. This wasn't Nikola Tesla, electrical genius, part vampire. This was Nikola Tesla, little boy from Serbia, despite his immortality he was scared of death, scared and pleading for his life.

"Bog mi je pomoć!" Nikola muttered in his native language. "Helen! Please! I am not a murder."

Helen's façade broke and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Nikola," she choked out.

Her hand brought the vile black liquid closer to his skin.

Nikola struggled even more.

"Helen! Stop! I am not a murderer! I am not a murderer," Nikola kept repeating, his own frightened tears brimming at his eyes. He was coming apart and it was hard for all of them to watch.

Nigel turned his head away and closed his eyes.

James bit the inside of his cheek. Helen silently prayed for some divine intervention.

Nikola sobbed, and fought even harder, hoping to break free and run away from his cruel fate, but the more he struggled the more helpless he felt.

Helen regained her composure, blinking away the tears that threatened to carry her away, but she couldn't back down now, not with so much at stake.

"I'm not a murderer," Nikola sobbed looking away, muttering some prayer in Serbian.

Helen's eyes broke contact with Nikola's arm for just a moment; flashing upwards to John, then back down.

Nikola felt the cool tip of the needle just touch his skin.

"You won't feel a thing Nikola…" Helen said sadly.

Nikola's eyes squeezed shut.

"I'm not the murderer…" he sobbed.

"Helen, stop!" shouted James.

Helen froze.

"A killer doesn't plead for his life, not like this," said James, his hand resting on Helen's shoulder. She slumped immediately, standing up and creating distance between her and Nikola.

"Release him," ordered James and Nigel gratefully released Nikola's arm. John hesitated but eventually lessened his grip and stood back as James removed the restraints around Nikola's arms.

"Despite the evidence I know the difference between the cries of maniac and the cries of an innocent man."

Once the bonds were released from Nikola's arms and legs he sprung out of the chair, creating more distance between him and the others.

"Nikola…" started James.

"Stay the hell away from me!" cried Nikola. He fought to regain his composure, his back hit the far wall with a loud thump. He whimpered slightly, the panic of death still in him. "All of you! Just stay the hell away!"

He glared angrily at all of them.

"He's hysterical!" shouted John.

"Of course he is!" yelled James.

Nikola scrubbed a hand over his face.

"I told you I didn't do it! I freaking told you! I pleaded!" growled Nikola.

Helen couldn't stand it and left the room in a hurry, the door slamming behind her.

"Calm down, Nikola, relax and take a moment," James took a hesitant step forward. "This Ripper has been driving us mad. We just have to breath and think of this logically not emotionally. Nigel, show Nikola to the guest room."

Nigel nodded.

"Come on, Nikola," Nigel said softly.

Nikola took in a long deep breath but nodded and wordlessly followed Nigel out.

James turned to John.

"How could you stop her?" asked John. "You saw what happened?"

"What we saw was the aftermath of two murders, no witnesses, nothing to actually pinpoint Nikola's presence there…he doesn't fit the profile, John, not at all! Jack The Ripper is arrogant, and these murders are a cause. He sees himself as some masked vigilante ridding the world of an unclean thing, when caught he would consider he had done the world a favor; he would gloat! I know it, John, I know it!" James sighed. "It seems too late now, if Nikola disliked us before he hates us now…"

"I'm not convinced," said John. "I think still think he's the reason behind those girls murders, despite your unassailable logic."

John left the room to go look for Helen.

He found her in her quarters, sitting on the settee. She stared at the fireplace blankly, neither crying nor angry, just drained.

"Helen," he said softly.

She jumped.

"I wanted to check in on you," he walked over.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in," she looked back at the flames. She was tense; he could sense it.

"Are you alright?" he asked sitting beside her, taking her hand in his.

"Yah…just tired," she sighed.

"Long week," he agreed. "Would you like me to stay the night with you?"

Helen mulled it over in her head.

"No, I don't think so, I don't think I'd be very good company…not tonight," she squeezed his hand lightly. "But thank you."

"I'd do anything for you," he brushed a stray lock from her hair.

"Would you?" she asked carefully.

"Of course, I love you Helen," he kissed her hand lightly. "I would crawl on my hands and knees across broken glass if it meant being with you one more hour."

"Would you kill?" she asked.

John paused.

"What are you saying Helen?" he asked eyeing her.

"Nothing…it's just with Nikola…I don't feel like I know anyone anymore…it was so easy to pin him as the Ripper…now I wonder if I really know any of you," she looked back at the flames.

"You'll know soon enough," he kissed the side of her head. "It's a rough patch."

"You still think it's him, don't you?" she turned to him with inquisitive eyes.

"The evidence is there," he stood up. "Rest Helen, please. Once you stop thinking you'll see things clearly."

Helen nodded.

"Thank you, I will, you get some rest as well," she followed him out with her eyes.

"As the doctor wishes," he nodded and left.

Helen felt chills run up her spine. She wouldn't be resting tonight.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

James came up to Nikola's door. It was close to midnight. The horrors of only a few hours ago still lingered in the air.

Nigel guarded the door, not guarding a killer, but making sure a friend didn't run away in a flurry of emotions.

"How is he?" asked James.

"He won't eat or drink anything I bring him," said Nigel disheartened. "He won't even talk to me."

"Let me have a go," said James and Nigel nodded.

"Maybe he sees you less as a betrayer," Nigel looked down.

"You should get some rest," said James.

"No, I'm fine," said Nigel shaking his head.

James sighed and went to the door, opening it carefully.

Nikola stood at the far window gazing outside. The moonlight streamed across his features.

James walked carefully towards him.

"Nikola…" he said cautiously.

Nikola's eyes moved slowly to land on him, the grey eyes daunting and sad.

"What do you want?" said Nikola bitterly.

"Just wanted to see how you were," said James honestly.

"Fine, now leave," Nikola's eyes turned back to the window.

"Nikola, we're sorry, I'm sorry…I'm sorry I let it get this far, I'm supposed to be the analytical genius who notices these things!" cried James.

"I don't blame you," sighed Nikola. "It's just hard, James…to see all of you…so ready to think the worst of me…makes me wonder what I've actually done."

"It's hard for all of us," said James.

"Really? Did you recently just watch your friends try to kill you?" Nikola spat bitterly.

"It's not as simple as that," sighed James.

"Oh it's not! The only people I've really trusted thought I was a murderer! You have no idea how that feels!" Nikola moved away from his perch on the window. "When I'm done here I'm going back to New York and I'm never coming back! This place is…is dead to me!"

Nikola sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Nikola…"

"Please leave."

James sighed and relented. It was too soon for this conversation.

"Alright," said James.

"Heh, it's funny James, you're so quick to suspect me, yet you don't see the most obvious clues laid out before you…tell the hound to stop puppy-guarding my door on your way out."

"What are you saying, Nikola?"

"Have you ever asked John where he became so skilled with that knife…"

James was struck speechless, he left without another word, completely ignoring Nigel. He walked up to the John's favorite room, aside from Helen's.

He was sitting in his chair, casually sipping a brandy.

John turned his head when he heard James enter.

"Ah, there you are, I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to join me," smirked John.

"I was a little preoccupied," said James. He eyed John carefully.

"Brandy?" offered John.

"Please," said James. He sat across from him, keeping his eyes fixed on him. "I've been developing some alternate theories…I was wondering if I could run them by you."

John nodded.

"Of course, though I think we've already found our killer," said John.

"You really think Nikola is the Ripper?" asked James.

"Yes," said John.

"Why? Besides the evidence, what does your instinct tell you?" asked James.

"My instinct tells me he's dangerous," said John.

"Dangerous to who? You?"

"To everyone!"

"Or to Helen?"

John's jaw stiffened.

"He won't get to her."

"He's always fancied Helen, but she rejected him for you, therefore she is yours."

"He doesn't seem to get the idea," John started to eye James in a similar way.

"How so?" asked James.

John's jaw stiffened again, he was holding his tongue.

"I see the way he looks at her…he would like nothing for me to disappear so he could go in and claim her for himself," he said stiffly.

"And the way she looks at him?"

John's eyes flared at the question.

"What are you insinuating?"

"If you know she loves you then what does it matter how Nikola feels…but if she's looking at him the same way."

John growled.

"Better stop there, James."

"Or what…you'll hack me into little pieces like Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes!"

"That's enough James!" John raised his voice.

"Is it, Jack?"

John stood up and glowered at James.

"You should've stopped, James!" growled John.

He raised his dart gun.

"Shoot me! It will ease the pain!" growled James angrily.

John shot James with a sleeping dart.

He teleported away into the hallway outside Nikola's quarters; he knocked out Nigel with a quick punch to the face before the poor man had any idea what was going on.

After taking down Nigel he teleported into Nikola's room, moving quietly to where the man was by the window.

"Finally come to finish me off," sighed Nikola. "Took you longer than I expected."

"I didn't want to tip off the others, but I see you already did that for me," said John, removing his knife from his sleeve.

"You've gone mad, John! At first I thought you and The Ripper were two separate people with a common goal, but now I realize it's been you all along," growled Nikola.

"Right on the money again," laughed John.

"This was your plan the whole time, frame me so that you could have Helen all to yourself, you're obsessed!"

"You don't think I notice the little glances you give each other! The way she blushes when she thinks of you! After every night we spend together she lies back and thinks about how it could've been you! I see it! I'm not blind!"

"No, you are blind! Blinded by your crazy possessiveness! Once Helen finds out do you think she'll just forgive you and then everything will be righted! You killed people! Prostitutes!"

"She was whoring herself out to you! Maybe not physically but with every thought she was whoring her thoughts to you. It's disgusting! They're all disgusting!"

John slammed his fist into Nikola's abdomen.

"I'm going to fix that! Helen and I will be happy together!" growled John. "You, unfortunately, won't be."

In a blink of an eye John teleported the two of them into the middle of the maze in the large Sanctuary garden.

As soon as they were completely rematerialized John brought his knee up hard into Nikola's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.

Nikola crumpled to the ground.

"You are pathetic, Tesla! Why she would ever go for a chump like you!" spat John bitterly.

Nikola vamped himself and snarled, but then controlled himself.

"I'm not pathetic, John, you are! You're a sniveling brat who treats the woman he loves like she's his own personal play thing and if someone so much as smiles at her they must go!" growled Nikola. "Helen chose you, not me! You daft idiot! You are throwing her away because of a petty obsession!"

John snarled and lunged for Nikola.

"She's mine!"

"She will never be yours once she knows the truth!" cried Nikola.

John pulled out the blade and stabbed Nikola in the chest with it.

"Tomorrow the newspaper will read, The Ripper Has Struck Again! Two new victims, the great Nikola Tesla, and the whore he was sleeping around with Dr. Helen Magnus," snarled John. "She will be mine, if not in life, then in death!"

Nikola collapsed to the ground holding his bloody chest.

"Don't you touch her!" he cried.

John pulled the knife out.

"I can't kill you my usual way, but I assure you I will do double the damage on dear Helen," he growled.

He pushed Nikola on to his back and pulled out the hypodermic from his coat pocket.

Nikola's eyes widened in fear as he saw the needle.

"I'm improvising," he laughed evilly.

"No! John!" cried Nikola. "I won't let you murder her!"

"That's why I'm going to kill you first! And the others if they get in my way," said John, he forcibly ripped open Nikola's sleeve. "If you survive…shoot me with this."

He dropped the pistol onto Nikola's gut and it landed with a hard thud; Nikola grunted.

Shortly afterwards John roughly stabbed the needle into his arm, earning a loud cry from Nikola.

"Enjoy your death, Nikola!" muttered John before teleporting away.

Nikola gasped painfully as the poison flooded through his system until he slipped into unconsciousness.

Nikola Tesla was dead.

~~~~Authors Notes~~~~

I know another evil cliffhanger, but i promise this is the last one...for this segment. After i'm done this segment of Troublemakers i probably wont be updating it in awhile. I want to finish my other one, most importantly Vamp and the Botanist and Seasick, i've left you all on evil cliffhangers and you're all eagerly waiting the resolutions so one i'm done with this cliffhanger i'm going to try and finish those ones, try bein the biggest emphasis in the world. Can't promise anything cause i still have no idea how i am going to resolve them...but i'm going to try! For your sakes! But i won't leave you hanging on this one, I will finish it by tomorrow...or the next day sometime...sorry i'm so lazy!


	29. A Framing in Whitechapel (4)

Chapter 29 – A Framing in Whitechapel Part 4

Helen awoke groggily. She didn't remember falling asleep, nor did she remember binding her hands together.

She was lying in the gazebo in the middle of the garden, her head hurt slightly, and she had a definite sinking feeling in her gut.

"John?" she called out.

She heard a rustle in the bushes not to far away.

"James?" she called out again.

There was still no response.

"Nikola?" she called out once more.

"I remember when I first met you, I'd never seen anyone more beautiful," said John from the shadows.

Helen looked at him, her heart beating wildly.

"John…" she gasped.

"I knew I wanted to marry you from that first moment, but you were still attached to that Serbian," his tone was dark and menacing. "I thought when he left that all ties were severed and then you could love me as completely as I loved you."

"John, I did love you… I do love you," said Helen.

"I promised to love you for eternity, we shared so much more than love, Helen," he stepped out of the shadows. The moonlight reflected off the knife in his hands, the knife that had killed so many women before her.

"I gave you my blood to keep you alive so that you could be with me, so we could be together," her heart was threatening to run away and leave her behind; fear creeped into her bones and crawled up her spine.

"Yet it was not enough to keep your heart away from him," John growled.

"Nikola?" she watched his eyes as she spoke, cautiously.

"Yes!" he growled. "You don't think I know about your little tryst with that vampire! You tried to dismiss it, you pretended it never happened but I saw it! Helen, I saw it with my own eyes."

Helen thought back to her trip to New York, she had kissed Nikola, it was true, she had almost let him take her, take her far away, but John's ring had anchored her from going anywhere with Nikola.

Nikola had looked so disheartened, so heartbroken but he had accepted her decision, not willing to break her vows for one night of passion she would later regret. Now she regretted more than that.

"I chose you, John…it was just a kiss…I had to prove to myself that I had chosen rightly, I had, John! I love you, not Nikola!" she pleaded.

"That's not true, I see the way you look at him, I know you think of him, but you were promised to me, Helen," he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "So I made a plan to break your connection to that boor. It was ingenius! George informed me when Nikola was in town then I went out to Whitechapel, slaughtered a whore, and then framed him for it! It was perfect, he was going to die by his lover's hand, but even with all that evidence against him you still couldn't bring yourself to kill him!"

"You're the Ripper?" she gasped.

"Yes, Helen, me! Because of you!" he snarled.

"You killed all those women just to get back at me for one mistake!" she cried.

"It wasn't just a mistake it was a betrayal," he grabbed her by the throat. "Every thing you share with him is a betrayal to us. Every thought you spend on him is a betrayal to me!" John spat.

"I don't think of him, not like you think!" Helen said, trying to remain calm.

"Please Helen, I see that look in your eyes," he brought he brought his hand up to hold her chin roughly. "I would've given you everything Helen, if only you'd given everything in return."

His eyes flickered with sadness.

"John, what have you done?" she shuddered and he released her.

"I have done what is necessary, I've killed Nikola…now I'm going to kill you," he lifted up the knife by his face. "You brought this upon yourself Helen."

"You bastard!" she cried swinging her leg around and kicking the knife out of his hand.

"I knew you'd put up a fight," he smirked and brought his hand up and hit her hard, knocking her down. "This will go by much easier if you lie still."

_**~~~~In The Maze~~~~**_

Nikola gasped, his eyes shooting open, a cough escaping as he sucked in fresh air.

He was alive. He couldn't believe it. He looked over to the empty needle lying in the grass beside him. It should have killed him; he should've melted from the inside out in a matter of seconds, according to Helen.

Then again, Helen has always had tricks up her sleeve.

He sat up, letting out a pained gasp, his insides weren't going to feel right for awhile, it may not have killed him but it still hurt like hell.

He saw the pistol John had left for him, to taunt him.

Nikola smirked slightly; won't he be surprised.

He picked up the pistol. One shot, one kill.

This bullet had only one name on it, and that was Jack.

He staggered to his feet.

Suddenly his vampire hearing picked up a cry, not far away.

Helen.

With a tighter grip on the gun Nikola ran as fast he could, stopping occasionally to listen for her cries. The maze was going to be a hindrance, but he had to save her, he had to save Helen.

_**~~~~Gazebo~~~~**_

Helen tasted the distinct metallic flavor of blood coming from her split lip.

She glared at John angrily, not giving him the satisfaction of her fear; she wasn't afraid of him, she hated him.

John casually walked over to where his knife had fallen.

He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and started to wipe the blade.

"Cry all you want, no one is coming to your rescue," he sighed and walked back, kneeling over her.

He took the same handkerchief and gently tied it around her neck.

"You're a bastard, John!" she spat.

"That may be true, but remember, I'm only the way I am because of you," he stroked her cheek gently.

"Will you take my uterus too? Or will you take my heart?" she growled, shaking his finger away from her skin.

"I will take anything that belongs to me," he grabbed the silver chain around her neck, holding her engagement ring. "Like this."

He tore it away from her, breaking the clasp; Helen winced in pain.

"Take it! I don't want it anymore!" she bit angrily.

He slapped her again.

"Don't say that! You loved me once! It's Nikola, he's tainted you," John said sadly.

"Then stop this, John, if you're right then he's dead, and we can be together," said Helen softly. She was trying to trick him, all she needed was one moment of distraction.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Nikola may have been full of crap but he did say something true before he died, he said you'd never be able to love me once you found out," John used the knife to cut open her corset. "And now you have."

Helen felt the cool night air touch her bare skin.

John's fingers ghosted over her chest. Helen resisted the urge to bite his hand.

"How many nights that you spent with me were you thinking of him?" asked John.

"None, when I was with you I thought of nothing else! You were my love! It's your sickness John! You've deceived yourself!" she cried. "This power has poisoned you."

"Enough!" he cried grabbing her throat. "Enough, Helen."

He lowered the blade to her lily-white skin and sliced gently, earning a strained hiss from Helen.

The cuts were superficial, surface wounds, only deep enough to draw blood.

In her flesh he carved the words I AM-

Helen seethed, he held her still with her strong hand, she could do nothing but glare bitterly at him. Her eyes fixed on his.

John's face was graced with a vicious sadistic smile; he took his time with the blade, wanting the words to be perfect. He wanted her body to be found with this clear message permanently embedded into her skin.

He was so focused he almost did not hear the click of a gun being cocked, aimed straight at him

John's sadistic smile faltered as he realized the significance of that sound.

"I survived…" the words like ice crawling over John's features. His hands left Helen's body as if it were covered in poison.

Stepping past the shadows of the gazebo, Nikola entered into the halo of light from the lantern hanging in the rafters.

His chest heaved with hard ragged breaths, his eyes grey and angry; his pistol pointed directly at John's head.

"Step away John," he ordered sternly.

Helen watched the confusion flash through John's eyes.

"How did you…"

"I said, drop the knife, John, and step away!" barked Nikola.

John growled under his breath.

"Nikola!" gasped Helen. She had never been happier to see him, or a gun.

Nikola kept his gaze fixed on John as he slowly turned his head to look at him.

Both men could see the anger in each other's eyes.

"You've hurt enough people, John," Nikola snarled stepping up to him. "This reign of terror is at an end."

"She's mine!" John hissed.

"Not anymore! She ceased being yours the moment you decided to kill the first innocent girl," Nikola glared harshly.

"Are you going to kill me, Nikola?" asked John, a hint of sardonic laughter in his voice.

"I might," spat Nikola.

"Then do it!" John cried.

"First things first, step away from Helen," said Nikola.

John complied.

"And don't think of teleporting away, I've covered this gazebo with an electro-magnetic field that will disintegrate you instantly," John got to his feet and slowly moved away from Helen, turning to face Nikola completely.

Nikola stepped up to Helen, using a claw to cut the rope binding her hands and feet.

Helen immediately got up and moved behind him, away from John. Using his as a shield.

"I hope you two will be very happy together," John said viciously, glaring at the two of them.

Nikola rolled his eyes and turned to look at Helen for a moment.

"I think it's time you left, John," said Nikola, he said sharply, turning his gaze back on John.

"Make me," said John, he lunged for the two of them.

Nikola was quick and fired the pistol at him, hitting John in the chest.

John fell to the ground, gasping at the sudden pain in his chest. His eyes traced small trickle of blood leaking from the hole. He looked back up and grinned at Nikola.

"Well played, Boss," he gasped out. "Well played."

Then he disappeared in a flash of orange light.

As soon as he was gone Helen left out a sigh of relief and Nikola turned to her immediately to see how much damage John had caused.

Helen held a hand over her heart.

"Are you all right?" he asked her gently.

She didn't answer, just threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I've never been so afraid," she mumbled into his chest.

He sighed and held her, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

"He's gone now, Helen, you're safe," he said comfortingly.

"Oh Nikola, I'm so sorry, what he put you through…what he made us put you through," a tear brimmed in her eye.

Nikola sighed and just held her, dropping the empty pistol to the ground.

"You knew all along didn't you?" he asked softly.

"I suspected it," she whispered. "H-how did you know?"

"He tried to kill me with that liquid, it didn't work," he sighed. "Either you're a crappy chemist or it was never meant to work in the first place."

Helen laughed slightly and pulled away form his arms, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I had to know for sure, to do that, I had to make sure you believed it as well as the others," she pulled away. "I never meant for any of this."

"James, you told him to stop you before you got too far," realization dawned on him.

"Yes," she nodded. "I had to make it looked realistic so as not to tip off John."

"What tipped you off?" he asked.

"There were several things but the final point was when I was about to inject you with that serum he…he smiled, just as the tip of the needle touched your skin. I knew it right then and there that it was him," her tear escaped. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Nikola pulled her into his arms again.

"You've done nothing wrong, Helen," he whispered to her, letting her cry on his shoulder. "It was John, he had driven himself crazy, you had nothing to do with it."

"But I did, the reason he put you in this situation was because I kissed you," her bottom lip quivered.

Nikola shook his head.

"No, what happened was because of him, Helen," he stroked away the wet streaks with his thumbs.

He noticed her ruined bodice, and the partial message written on her bosom.

"Here," he unbuttoned his shirt, and tugged it off his arms then slipped it over her shoulders and across her chest.

"Thank you," she whimpered softly.

He took her face into his hands and looked at the bruise John had left.

"Helen, I'm going to find him, and when I do I'm going to kill him," he growled, looking at her split lip and the small cut by her temple. He couldn't fathom anything that would cause anyone to bring harm to the woman.

He cupped her face gently and pressed a small soft kiss on the tender flesh of her cheekbone, soothing the ache she felt.

She enjoyed the comfort his warmth provided, how gentle and forgiving he was, despite all the pain she had put him through. He was truly remarkable.

"I think we've both deserved a drink," she said softly, taking his hand.

"N-no…not tonight, Helen…I-I should go…George must be calling up a search party by now, you kind of abducted me during an important meeting," he smiled weakly. "You should check on James and Nigel, make sure they're alright."

"What about you?" she held on to his hand tighter.

"I'll be back, I promise," he kissed the top of her hand lightly. "I just need to take a breather away from this place."

"What if John comes back?"

"I'll protect you…something that will keep him away from the Sanctuary," Nikola released her hand and stepped out of the gazebo. "I could walk you back inside if you'd like," he offered

Helen nodded.

"Please," she followed, tugging his shirt closer around her as she shivered, despite it being pleasantly warm outside.

They walked in silence until they reached the veranda, under the shelter of the walls of her home.

They stopped, and for a long moment they just stared at each other. Suddenly Helen leant in, capturing him in a short sweet kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered slightly.

"I-I should go," he was flustered, and he stepped away from her.

"Stay, Nikola, please," she begged.

He shook his head.

"No, I can't, not right now," he sighed. "Goodnight Helen, till we meet again."

Helen watched him leave; it pained her to see him go, once again.

Once he was gone she found Nigel and James, relatively unharmed, except for some bumps and bruises.

None of them wanted to sleep, so they sat on the sofa in the study, in silence, and passed around glass after glass of brandy. None of them wanted to speak of the recent revelation, no one wanted to think of the past few days, they all just wanted to forget.

Especially Helen.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Sorry no Nikola and Helen romance, but i did add a kiss for you guys, because you have been so good :) They're is going to be a lot of repair work for Nikola and Helen to do before they become the slightly dysfunctional lovable pair they are now, means a few years of distrust...but for those who follow the Life-Long series if we were to go AU this is where the Life-Long timeline would come in not directly but somewhere near here. Unfortunately the Life-Long series is an AU story, and i'm trying to keep this story as un-AU as possible. Though Damian Kindler's baffling inaccuracy is making that very hard to do! But enjoy it, Read and Review. Hopefully i can resolve the other cliffhangers for Seasick and V&B then get back to this one as soon as i can...not to concerned with Niko: The Magnetic Opera though...no demands to finish that one...

BTW...Troublemakers is not finshed...not yet, I promise...I'm thinking of taking this all the way up to his "death" so there will be plenty more chapters to come in the future. It's just taking a backseat on the priority list. First up is Seasick, because i left it on an evil cliffhanger, then Vamp and Botanist because i have made you guys wait so long for even a semblance of an update. Then i'll be back on this one. :)


	30. A Good Friend, Nothing More

**Chapter 30 – A Good Friend, Nothing More**

_**~~~~November, 1888~~~~**_

Nikola heard the shot from down the street and came running as fast as he could, pistol in one hand, and claws in the other.

His heart beat loudly in his chest as his mind could only assume the worst as he rounded the corner. He instantly stopped his pursuit when he saw Helen standing over the body of a dead woman.

Nikola snarled slightly.

"Helen," he said, a little breathy.

"We're too late, Nikola," she said heavily. Nikola could smell the blood from there.

"John?" he asked carefully.

"He's gone," she shuddered slightly.

Nikola took a hesitant step towards her.

"Gone? As in…"

"Gone, Nikola. He teleported away just as I got a shot off, I don't know if it him him…I think it did," she clutched her bloodstained hands together.

Nikola put a hand gently on her shoulder.

"He can't hurt anyone anymore, Helen, isn't that good?" he lowered himself to a crouch beside her.

It had been two months of hunting the ripper, and it had been a tense time; Nikola was staying in England long enough to see John either put behind bars or put inside a wood coffin.

Nikola had forgiven his friends and accepted their apologies; it had been John that had twisted their opinion of him, and he understood that, but he still stayed at a small inn away from the Sanctuary, not quite comfortable in the halls of the old place anymore, or, at least, that's how he put it.

In truth, he was more scared of Helen than he was of the memories. He had spent the last few months in a state of restlessness, not just because he was a hair's breadth from death, not even because it was his own friends who had put him there, but because, despite all of this, he was still madly in love with her.

Helen had been growing more and more emotionally unstable since that night John had been discovered. She doubted every move she made, doubted every friendship, every feeling she had ever felt for anyone. She had packed up everything belonging to John and sobbed endlessly the first week, the next week she snapped at everyone, including Nikola. After that she had mood swings between anger and remorse, and then deep heartbroken sadness, mixed in with feelings of self-doubt.

All Nikola wanted to do was kiss her and tell her to forget about John, and that he would always be here for her, but these type of confessions were not what she needed. As she stated many times in anger, she didn't need a pity party, and she certainly didn't need a new lover.

Nikola felt her bury her head in his shoulder and cry lightly, he just held her.

"It's alright," he said softly.

Her fingers fisted his shirt as she continued to sob.

"Let's get you home, Helen," he said, helping her to her feet.

It broke his heart to see her like this, and it made him angry. How could John be so heartless towards this beautiful woman? Not only attempting to take her life and the life of many others, but also shattering her dreams and her confidence in the process, Nikola wanted to punch his face in. Nikola wanted to pick up the pieces of Helen's heart and put them back together and make them stronger.

Recently, he had been spending his time in between hunting John and creating a protection for Helen and her Sanctuary. A shield of sorts, he called it the EM Shield, it surrounded the entire Sanctuary; this would keep Druitt out of her life and away from her heart for good.

Nikola got her back to the Sanctuary. James was at Scotland Yard, keeping the case under wraps while Nigel was busy with the Abnormals residing in the Sanctuary.

Nikola surpassed all pleasantries and took her up to her room.

He sat her on the edge of her bed.

She had stopped crying and just sat there quietly.

"It's over, Helen," Nikola said softly.

She nodded her head.

"I know," she murmured. "He's gone, I just can't believe it."

Nikola took her hand and kissed the top of it lightly.

"It will get easier," he said, trying to be comforting.

"I can't believe you sometimes either," she looked at him. "After what he did to you, what we did to you, I would think you would be the happiest to see him dead. How can you be so forgiving Nikola? How can you look at me and not hate me?"

The tears began to flow down her cheeks again.

Nikola swallowed slightly. This is what he was afraid of. What was he to do, lie to her? Of course not! Not now, not when her trust was so thin.

"I…I could never hate you, Helen, John yes, but not you," he kneeled down in front of her. "Never you."

Helen looked at him with glossy eyes.

"You are truly a remarkable man," she raised a hand up to his cheek, stroking it lightly.

Nikola leaned slightly against the palm of her hand, before taking it in his hand and resting it back down on her lap.

"You should get some rest, Helen, it's been a long night," he stood up and leaned over and pecked her cheek, trying not to notice how wonderful she smelt. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Can't you stay?" she looked up at him.

Nikola tried not to shudder.

"Not yet," he muttered. "As much as I'd like to."

Helen looked at him carefully.

"Please stay," she pleaded. "I don't want to be alone, not right now, not when I feel so alone already."

Nikola sighed, long and heavy.

"I can't, I really should be going now," he moved to the door and quickly left. It was harder than he'd like to admit to leave her in that state. But he couldn't trust himself with her, not when she was like this. He wanted to confess everything, tell her everything; everything he had ever wanted, everything that he dreamed of, anything to make her smile again, and he couldn't do that. It was too dangerous because she'd surely kill him with one hint of rejection.

He got to the Inn he'd been staying at and to his room, shutting the door tightly behind him.

He let out a long sigh when he was back in the safety of his sanctum. Papers laid strewn all about, ideas he came up with in his terror. The lamps had ceased to have gas in them weeks ago, he'd lit the room up with a light bulb attached some copper wire attached to a small battery he had designed one night when he couldn't rest.

It cast a warm pale light through the room.

He sat on the edge of the bed and scrubbed a hand over his face and through his hair dislodging it from its slick form.

He rarely slept since he had been turned into a vampire, but he always tried a few moments now and then. He kicked off his shoes and removed the cravat around his neck. He unbuttoned his vest and shirt before resting back against the pillows and shutting his eyes.

He had no idea how long he had actually slept for; he was torn from his slumber by a loud knock on his door. He got up groggily, and moved to answer the consistent rapping.

He opened it while still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Helen?" he blinked suddenly. "What's wrong?"

She was in a slightly disheveled state; her hair in a ragged mess, and she wore nothing but a man's shirt, waistcoat, trousers and boots; highly inappropriate for a woman to be wearing.

She was not sad, as she had been when he left her; in fact she seemed…inebriated.

She reached over and pulled herself into his arms and kissing him before his mind could comprehend anything.

Her hand reached behind her and shut the door as she pushed him further into the room.

He stumbled on to the bed, she falling on top of him.

Nikola gasped for breath, pulling away from her greedy lips, he could taste the alcohol on her tongue.

"Helen!" he sputtered. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" she drawled, pushing his already undone shirt off his shoulder and shoving the thin white undershirt up to expose his abdomen and stomach. Her teasing fingers ran over the sensitive skin, and he stifled a groan.

"No, I mean why?" he grunted, trying to grasp her hands long enough so he could understand.

"Isn't it obvious?" she smirked seductively before slowly lowering her head to his and kissing him almost painfully. "I want you."

Nikola sputtered again, a little shell-shocked by her declaration.

"Don't you want me?" she leaned back on to his lap, earning a grunt from him.

"I do, I mean I don't, not when you're like this," he muttered putting his hands on her shoulders in a vain attempt to move her off him, but she was stronger.

She ignored him and ran her hands through his hair, crushing her lips to his in another painfully arousing kiss.

It was all Nikola could do to resist her.

Helen wrapped her arms around Nikola's neck, pressing the rest of her body against him.

With so few layers between the both of them, Nikola nearly lost himself. He could nearly smell the blood in her veins as well as the alcohol on her breath, and the way she ran her nails down his chest, leaving a slight sting in their wake. It took all his willpower to break the kiss again.

"Helen, no, this isn't right," his voice sounded strained even when coated with his Serbian accent. "This isn't what you want right now, let me take you home, Helen."

She purred slightly, taking his ear in her teeth and nipping lightly.

"Then take me," she whispered seductively, he shuddered at the intonation.

"That's not what I meant, Helen," he put a hand on her hip to still it's slow grinding motions on his own. "Please," he groaned slightly. "I don't think I'm strong enough for this."

Helen smirked.

"You're a vampire, I've seen your strength," she ran a hand up his bare arm. "I want to see it in action."

Nikola sighed, shaking his head.

"No, Helen," he moved her off his lap. The sensation temporarily distracted him and he closed his eyes to regain his already feeble control. Everything she was doing he was reacting to in a very instinctual manner, his hands trembled slightly as he fought to keep his vampire nature in check and away from the very creature it wanted most.

He opened his eyes and she was not there. He wondered if it had all been a terribly realistic dream. Then he felt a hand on his neck, and the warmth of her body crawling up his spine, she was behind him.

She pulled off his shirt and wrapped her arms around his lithe torso, her lips just lightly brushing the skin of his shoulder.

For a moment his brain was frozen with ecstasy, he had no control over his body or his emotions. She kissed a line from the peak of his shoulder to the base of his neck, biting occasionally.

"I don't remember you ever being this randy when drunk," he said lamely, but it was a lie, his mind shot back to their first drinking escapade. They woke up in each other's arms in his dorm room, clothes on, but he could imagine there was some steps that led from them dancing to winding up on the bed. Then there was the night of her birthday that they spent in the moonlit garden; she had peeled off all her layers save for her under garments and they had kissed.

He wondered if that was the reason her drunken mind had chosen him, because he was the go to guy when there were no inhibitions.

Helen's hand crept lower down his flat stomach, and the feeling brought him out of his brain freeze. She was ravenous at this point, growing bolder and bolder with her lack of forethought. She pressed herself against his back and he could tell she had stripped off the man's shirt she had been wearing, leaving her completely bare.

Her lips found his and he kissed her back out of pure instinct, it was the most fiery of kisses ever shared between the two.

His mind trailed back to New York, when they had almost slept together out of sheer desperation. She, because she was desperate to show him how much she wanted him to come home, and him, because he was desperate to show how much he loved her.

It had ended sourly, as would this.

This passion was not because she loved him and wanted him, it was because she was desperate, desperate to forget. John was still the man she loved and no amount of affection from Nikola was going to change that.

Nikola felt her hand slide over his abdomen and under the line of his trousers and he broke away, grabbing her wrist tightly and holding it away.

"No," he said firmly, moving away from her, keeping his eyes downcast so he wouldn't hurt her dignity. "I won't do it Helen!"

She spat and she heard the anger.

"Am I that repulsive to you, Nikola?" she said angrily. "Have I been tainted in your oh-so-high sights that you can't even bear to look at me, let alone sleep with me?"

"No, Helen, I…"

"Look at me, dammit!" she cried and he obliged her, looking straight into her eyes and nowhere else. "Am I so ugly, Nikola?"

"No, you're not, you're the most beautiful woman I have ever known, I can't sleep with you because this isn't real, what you're feeling right now is the after effects of a whole bottle of gin," he stepped towards her. "But you are not ugly, you have no blemish, no black mark, not one single hair out of place, or bone in your body that even constitutes the meaning of ugliness…and I am not John."

At his words she broke, her tears coming faster than he could dab them away and he pulled her to him in a comforting embrace, letting her use his shoulder to cry on.

He moved her to sit on the edge of the bed and continued to hold her, lightly stroking her hair until she ran out of tears.

They stayed like that for a while until he had realized she was done crying. She just rested against him as he cradled her.

"Nikola," she croaked.

He looked down at her and smiled softly.

"Yes."

"I'm tired," she didn't move away from him as she spoke.

"You can stay here tonight," he said softly. He untangled her from around him and stood up in front of her. "Let me get you something clean to wear."

He moved over to the armoire and pulled out a clean shirt and some trousers. They weren't exactly proper for a woman to wear but they were better than the alcohol stained clothes she came in.

He walked back to her and slipped the white shirt over her arms and across her chest to cover her modesty.

He handed her the pants.

"Put these on," he instructed softly. "I'll make you some tea, it will help."

Helen nodded and headed over to the bathroom silently. He moved over to the fireplace and put a small teapot over it.

She came out a few moments later, staggering slightly.

Nikola came over and helped her to the chair.

"Here," he handed her a small cup. She sipped it and gagged. "Swallow it, it will help lessen the nausea."

She choked down the strong liquid, sputtering when it was gone.

"What was that?" she muttered.

"Mother's own recipe, it also works on fevers and morning sickness, what can I say, my genius came from somewhere," he smirked.

"You can cook?" she looked at him with a dazed expression.

"I am a man of many talents," he joked.

"Mmmm," she nodded her head.

"You should get some rest," he patted her shoulder gently.

"How are you so patient with me, Nikola?" she looked up at him; her pupils were dilated.

"You've caught me on a good day," he shrugged.

"That's not what I mean," she sat up, still looking up at him. "How can you be so patient, when I have been nothing but cruel to you?" another tear brimmed her eye.

"Cruel?" he looked at her a little confused.

Her hands reached up and caressed his cheek. She stroked the mustache on his lip.

"How is it you are so forgiving Nikola?" she smiled weakly.

"Because…I," he had no answer to her question.

She leaned back in the chair, exhausted and spent, her hands leaving his face.

He sighed and scooped her up into his arms.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," he muttered to her, she was limp in his arms but he managed to get her to the bed and under it's ruffled covers. "There, just call me if you need anything."

He turned to leave but her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

"Nikola!" she called.

He turned back to her.

"Yes."

"Stay with me, please," she asked through droopy eyelids.

He sighed and moved around to the other side of the bed, grabbing his shirt on the way and covering himself.

He stayed above the covers and leant against the headboard.

"I'll stay, until you go to sleep," he smiled at her and she smiled back, she took his hand gently and squeezed just before her eyes drooped shut and she fell asleep.

He watched her sleep, looking at their still entwined fingers.

"It's because I love you," he whispered, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. He hated how he couldn't have told her that when she had asked.

He may be forgiving, but he was also a coward, a coward because he couldn't tell her how he felt, and chances are, he never would.

But he would wait an eternity; forgive her for an eternity, until she was ready to love him too.

He nestled down further to lie next to her, keeping their hands together. He could pretend for a few hours, pretend he was lying next to his lover. He imagined what it would be like to wake up next to her; the way her golden hair would shine in the sun, and her blues eyes would sparkle as they fluttered to life to rest on him. She'd roll over in his arms and smile that bright, brilliant smile, then kiss him, a wake up call to heaven, and the first thing he'd see would be an angel.

It did not happen the way he imagined it.

He awoke in the early morning before her and reality hit him like a splash of cold water.

She was still Helen Magnus, scarred for love by John Druitt, and he was still Nikola Tesla, helpless to change that.

He released her hand and moved off the bed.

Scrubbing a hand over his face. He hated sleeping, he hated his dreams; he spent most nights pacing back and forth just trying to keep his mind occupied other than focusing on the things that could never be true.

He picked up a bottle of wine off his desk and took a swig from it, plugging it with the cork and putting back in its original spot.

It was in these times he wished alcohol could effect him.

By the time he had changed and made breakfast Helen began to stir, groaning and holding her head.

"Uggh, what happened?" she muttered.

Nikola came over again with the tea his mother had created.

"Good morning," he said, faking a grin as he brought her over the cup. "Drink this."

"Gah, Nikola, what are you doing in my room?" she rubbed her temples, holding the blankets higher up.

"Look again," he chuckled.

She opened her eyes a bit more and looked around.

"Alright, what am I doing in your room?" she looked at him and he grinned smugly. "Did we?"

He shook his head.

"Of course not, though your alcohol riddled mind probably would've preferred it that way, oh Helen, the things you say when you're drunk," he shoved the cup in her hands.

"Are you serious?" she looked at him, mortified.

"No," he looked down briefly. "Except for the drunk thing, here, this will help with the headache."

Helen nodded and drank from the cup, missing the flash of sadness in Nikola's eyes.

"Uggh, what is that?" she looked disgusted at the liquid.

"You don't want to know, it's supposed to help with the nausea not cause it," he joked.

He brought over a basin and pulled out a rag. He sat on the edge of the bed and began to dab her heated face with it.

"Since when did you become the caregiver?" she teased.

"Since an old friend stumbled through my door in the ungodly hours of the night drunk out of her mind, now drink up! I'm going to take you home before James and Nigel start to call up a search party."

"Why'd I come to you?" she muttered.

"I…I don't know, you passed out before I had time to ask you any questions," this time she saw something indescribable flash through his eyes.

"Well, thank you," she grabbed his hand and squeezed. "You're a good friend."

She sat up and winced expecting pain to come full force, but opened her eyes.

"Wow, your tea actually works," she looked at him incredulously, happily surprised to feel the hangover pain dissipate.

"My mother does have some tricks up her sleeves," he grinned weakly.

"I bet she does. Now, just give me my clothes and we can be on our way," she pushed away the covers, noticing she was wearing his clothes instead of her own.

"Oh that, well, you weren't wearing much to begin with, if anything you're better off with that," he smirked cheekily.

"Can I borrow a jacket at least, so I don't feel so exposed?" she asked.

"Of course, as long as you explain to the wonder brothers that your change of attire had nothing to do with me," he said and she laughed. "I've had enough near death experiences to last me for a long time."

Her smile faded, her memory flashing back to that awful night, his cry of terror ringing through her ears. Even though he meant it as a joke it still hurt to think about it.

"Alright then, I'll just use your facilities while you call a cab," she stood up and looked back down at him.

"Thank you again," she leaned down and pecked his cheek. "You really are a good friend."

He smiled weakly.

"I know," he gave her a smug smile and she shook her head, amused by his antics.

She tapped his cheek with a smirk then headed to the washroom, closing the door behind her.

The smile faded along with her foots steps, and he looked down at the hand she had held all through the night, while the other came up to gently graze the spot her lips had touched.

"A good friend, nothing more," he sighed sadly.

The door opened again and Helen peeked her head through.

"Did you say something?" she asked.

"Nothing," he looked up at her. "Just thinking. Hurry up or I'll come in there and help you."

"Not if I lock the door," she smirked teasingly and shut the door again,

He sighed and stood up, straightening his clothes before heading downstairs to the Inn's lobby to call a cab for his and Helen's trip back to the Sanctuary.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

I know some have been waiting awhile, i've been busy, but i think you'll like this.

For those who read and like the Life-Long series, this moment is what i imagine is the turning point moment from that reality, in that universe Nikola did not resist Helen's drunken advances towards him, and yadda yadda yadda. It's not an arc like the other recent stories have been, it just a one chapter moment, because i like to change it up. :) I wrote a scene similar to this in OTBOP so i reused it and made it a bit better, for your enjoyment, I hope it's not too sad :(

Any ways, read and review :)


	31. The Lost Moments

**Chapter 31 – The Lost Moments**

_**~~~~Fall 1877~~~~**_

Nikola Tesla sat in his usual seat at the back of the lecture hall. It was almost 30 minutes earlier than the class was scheduled to begin, he liked to be here before it became filled with the mind-numbing cloud of idiocy he called his classmates. It had only been two weeks of school and he already found their pompous British arrogance irritating. It was bad enough he had to study alongside with them but he also had to live in the same dormitory as them, and he found that the cruelest twist of fate. He despised the British, but if he wanted to be respected anywhere, he needed to be educated here, but as soon as he could he would take his degree and get on the first ship to anywhere other than here.

He arranged his notebook in front of him and adjusted his inkwell so that it sat to his liking. He rarely took notes on the actual lecture, it was mostly stuff he already knew or found absolutely pointless, but he was required to attend the lectures to get his degree.

He would normally doodle ideas on his notebook to keep himself from mouthing off to the professor. It was that habit that had him, for lack of a better phrasing, kicked out of the Austrian Polytechnic. He had said good riddance and continued on to here, convinced to get his degree this time; as the useless air of the pompous school reputation was it proved it would ensure him better offers in his future.

So he endured the numerous and tedious lectures, bit his tongue at the continuously idiotic remarks from his fellow students, and every other high-horsed Brit he had to face on a day to day basis, purely for the reputation of being an Oxford graduate.

The door to the lecture hall opened, bringing Nikola out of his thoughts. He expected the professor, or even just another eager idiot coming to class early to prove that he's a good student.

What he saw wasn't anything he could've expected.

At first what he saw was the red, then he saw her face.

She was like a rare flower in a desert of black and brown. Nikola was drawn to the creamy expanse of her clavicle and sternum and what little cleavage peaked out the top of her dress.

It was highly inappropriate for him to stare; his mother, if sitting right beside him, would've smacked him behind the head and scolded him. Being the sibling to three sisters, he should know better about how to treat a woman.

But he couldn't help it; she was stunning. Was she lost? Women weren't a common sight in the halls of Oxford's lecture halls. Not that he agreed to that principle, most women he knew were more intelligent than the half drunk boors he usually shared this room with.

Nikola made no move to talk to her; just watched the girl in the stunning red dress descend the steps to the front of the lecture hall. She sat down, with purpose, placing her bag down on the floor beside her. She moved like a swan, gracefully and swiftly. She pulled out her notebook, inkwell and quill, arranging them on the desk. She removed the matching red hat, revealing her mass of blonde curls. It was the most beautiful blonde hair he'd ever seen, it was so perfect, not muddy, or freckled like many of the blondes he'd seen, it was seamless throughout. He found her enchanting.

His trance was broken, once again, by the door opening. The professor stepped through, stepping to the main ring, and placing his notes on the desk before him.

He looked up and immediately saw the woman at the front of his class.

She met his gaze without even flinching.

"Ah, you must be Gregory's daughter," the professor finally said. "I was told to expect you in my lecture hall."

Nikola leaned in slightly, intrigued by what her response would be.

"Helen Magnus," she said coolly, unintimidated by his status.

"I see, well, I'll have to ask you to sit in the back, the front rows are reserved for the students, not auditors," the professor said with all the grace and gentility of a broken wagon.

Nikola would've punched him out, if he wasn't trying to appear uncaring. It was not his place to intervene, especially since he did not know the beautiful woman personally.

"As you wish," she stood up, not arguing with him, but he could sense the distaste in her words.

She moved to the back of the hall, only a few seats away from him, and he watched her out of his peripheral vision.

She was remarkable, a strong-willed woman, auditing classes, standing up to authority, and making a point by wearing the most bright and enchanting gown she probably had in her closet. She was here to make a point, and he liked that. He liked the woman in the red dress, and he didn't even know her name.

Her blues eyes moved and locked with his, and a slight flutter happened inside him. She had caught him staring; this is where his mother would come in handy.

He averted his gaze and immediately attempted to distract himself by dipping his pen in the inkwell and pretending to jot a note in his book. He instead began to draw those eyes that had locked themselves into his memory. They were almost as enchanting as the red dress she wore with them. Everything about her was mystifying and marvelous.

At the back of his mind, he decided, he might disprove one or two of the professor's theories in today's lecture, just for her.

_**~~~~Christmas 1881~~~~**_

Nikola arrived on the steps of the Sanctuary, his suitcase in one hand, a bag of gifts in the other. This was the first time he was to see his friends in almost a year and he was nervous. He hadn't exactly given them a fair farewell, but he had sent a telegram, not too long ago notifying them of his arrival.

He clasped the knocker, shaking the snow of the fringe of his mustache.

He knocked three times and waited patiently for the door to be opened to him.

It took less than three seconds for it to come shooting open and for a blonde goddess to come racing out into his arms.

This was not the welcome he was expecting, but my, was he grateful for it.

She pulled back to look at his face, a bright smile dawning hers.

"Well, I see someone's missed me," he grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes.

"Did you think any less?" she sighed.

"Well, I…" he started but she shook her head.

"I'm just happy you came, like you promised!" she smiled and reached up to peck his cheek. "Now get in here before you catch your death."

Nikola sighed and shook his head.

"Said the girl in the evening gown, to the man in the winter coat," he muttered, she laughed and tugged him inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Where are the boys? I assume they're still alive," he teased and Helen smirked.

"They're out on the hunt, and won't be back till Sunday. Father's out on a safari, and I have given my staff the night off," she smiled at him. "It's just the two of us for the next three days; I opted to stay behind to see your welcome."

She removed his coat and hat.

"I'm flattered," he smiled.

"We have a whole year to catch up on, you know; we'll start by making you a cup of tea, and then you can tell me all about it," she turned to him grasping his hand. "Thank you for coming, Nikola."

"To tell you the truth, I didn't know how welcome I'd be, my departure was rather sudden," he looked down shyly.

Helen sighed.

"I was angry at first, but then I received your letters, every day, or at least close to, I knew you still had us in your heart, but this place was just to small for that brilliant mind of yours," she reached a hand up to run it through his slicked back hair. "I missed you though."

"I missed you too, your letters have been more than comfort this last year," he took her hand and kissed it. "Now, I'm famished, you wouldn't happen to have something to nibble on would you?"

Helen laughed.

"I think I can make you something," she took his hand and led him out of the foyer to the kitchen.

_**~~~~2 Days Later~~~~**_

Nikola watched her decorate the Christmas tree, she hadn't changed, in the year he had been gone she hadn't changed; she was still as lovely as when he left her, and his feelings for her hadn't changed either.

The moment he saw her his heart beat the loud erratic rhythm it had grown accustomed to in her presence. The way she smelt, the twinkling of her eyes, the way her lips felt on his skin, it never changed.

He watched her.

Oh, how he wanted to taste her. It was a highly inappropriate thought indeed, but it was one he had been having in quite sometime. Since becoming a vampire he saw blood in a whole new light, despite not wanting to feed and kill humans, he was curious as to the individual taste, the uniqueness of flavors. Like wine, or cheese, did age make them taste different; did genes? He wanted to know, but more than that, he wanted to know her, how she tasted, how her blood would feel curling around his tongue. He was nearly consumed by the thought most nights. It had only been heightened since his arrival.

Their seclusion together made the fantasies stronger.

He didn't want to fantasize about her in that way, it was lewd and not how a lady should be thought of, but sometimes he could help it. She did things to him no other woman could.

He swallowed dry, yearning for the feel of that warm red liquid to slide down his aching throat.

She moved towards him and sat next to him, smiling widely.

"What do you think?" she said, acknowledging her wonderfully decorated tree.

He wasn't looking at the tree.

"Marvelous," he breathed.

She giggled.

"You haven't even looked at it!"

"I don't need to, to know that it's marvelous," he shrugged simply.

"Now, really Nikola, indulge me," she smiled softly.

Oh how he wished he could.

He turned to look at the tree.

"It's beautiful," he looked back to her. "Perfect."

"I knew you'd like it," she giggled again. "So what would you like to do tonight? It's just you and me."

He gulped dryly.

Was this his opportunity? He had to go around this carefully. Damn he needed his medication.

"H-Helen," he stuttered. "There's something…pressing…that I need you to know."

Helen's smile faltered but she kept her grip on his hand.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's my…m-medication, I've run out, just recently, I'm afraid I might go into withdrawals soon."

It wasn't exactly what he meant but it was the best he could do at this point in time.

"Alright, it will takes some time for it to distill, how long can you hold on for?" she asked.

He gulped again.

"That's the thing, you see, I'm holding on to the barest of threads," he knew it was an exaggeration, but he had to know, he had to have just one taste. "I know this is a unreasonable favor to ask, but if I could just have the smallest of samples from you, I know I could hold on till the medication was ready."

He saw her face pale.

"You mean blood?" she trembled slightly.

"Only a few drops, and you may shoot me if I lose control," he looked into her wide blue eyes.

"Helen, please, if not you, then who else, if I wait any longer I could end up hurting someone," he lied, smoothly, cursing himself for doing so, but he had to know.

"Nikola, I can't, I…" she hesitated. "I'd have to approach it from a purely scientific manner."

His heart nearly stopped; was she considering it?

"I'd have to remain objective, personally, I have been curious about the process," she looked to him. "It would have to be someplace safe, no major arteries."

He nodded.

"Agreed."

"And you should only take what you need, enough to get you through the next few hours," he saw the windmills of her mind turning as she thought his proposition over.

"I would only ask if I was desperate," it wasn't a complete lie, he thought.

"Meet me in my chambers in an hour," she looked at him. "That should give me enough time to prepare the ingredients for the medicine."

Nikola nodded.

"Are you sure, Helen? We could always do it in the study, or some place less private…for purely scientific reasons," he knew that what he was saying was just to cover that fact how much he wanted to be in her rooms. Could he control himself in there?

"I won't have it any other way, in my chambers, that way we won't be disturbed," she sighed.

His heart was nearly beating out his chest.

"I will see you in an hour," she stood up.

"Wait Helen!" he sprung up to follow her, just catching her shoulder. He should tell her not to worry about it, that he'll go and find a cat, he'll lock himself in his room till the medicine was ready, anything but go through this charade just to taste her blood. "Thank you, Helen."

He said, mentally cursing himself. He was such a bastard.

"You are one of my closest friends, Nikola, I would do anything for you, you know that," she came over and pecked his cheek. "I know you'd do the same."

Nikola felt something twist inside.

"I-I know," he nodded.

She smiled softly and patted his hand.

"One hour, sharp," she turned and left.

As soon as she was gone he smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead.

Sick, sick, sick bastard!

_**~~~~1 Hour Later~~~~**_

Nikola approached the door to her quarters hesitantly. He was going to go in and call this whole charade off, it wasn't right to trick her this way, not for this reason. He was taking advantage of their friendship to satisfy an ungentlemanly need that he should just quelch with some street animal, and no one will be the wiser.

He reached the door, mentally preparing himself.

_Helen, it's ok, I've realized that it was a completely inappropriate request to ask of you, I will find a cat to tide me over; there is nothing wrong with that…right?_

He shook off his nerves and knocked on her door.

Just say no, he told himself.

"Come in," she said through the door.

Nikola gulped and reached for the brass handle, turning it carefully. The oak door swung open and he froze at the sight. Her blonde hair was let down in a wave of curls, coming just below the curvature of her breasts.

She wore a black nightgown, obviously to hide any evidence of blood if he happened to spill. Nikola gulped, almost audibly.

He was not meant to see this.

She moved towards him and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him.

"What are you trying to do Nikola? I can't have any of the other residents see me like this, what would they think?" she huffed and he snapped out of his stunned state.

"I, uh, sorry, didn't know what I was thinking," he knew very well what he was thinking.

"Lets just get this over with quickly, alright," her cheeks flushed, embarrassed with her exposed state, sitting Nikola on the settee. "So, where to begin?"

Nikola bit his lip.

"I was thinking the wrist…or arm…" the least intimate place he could think of.

"No, no place like that, no where that it can be so easily detected," she took his hand. "Here."

She placed his hand on her inner thigh and his heart nearly exploded.

"H-Helen, I couldn't," he gulped again, how could she expect him to feed on her there, that place was so intimate, and he was not her betrothed, he was not even courting her. This was going too far.

"Yes, you can, it can be easily disguised and covered up; it's the only place that it can't be seen by accident, we can't take any chances. "Now, where do you want me?"

He blinked, did she have to say it like that.

"Uhh," he looked at the couch he was sitting on. "Here's fine."

He couldn't do this on her bed; he might lose control then who knows what could happen.

Helen nodded.

"Agreed, it's probably the best place, anyway," she moved to sit on the couch.

He stood up to watch her.

"Should I be sitting or lying down?" she looked up at him.

"Uh, l-lying," he had to stop himself, why was this so hard?

She nodded, lying back, swinging her legs on to the rest of the settee.

He was sweating, he could feel it, it was like a heat emanating from his pelvis and moving through his body to his head, forming in beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Do it quickly, please," she sighed, her cheeks flushed with shyness.

He stifled a groan, this was almost more than he could take.

He kneeled down in front of her, tentatively reaching a hand to the hem of her gown, slowly tugging it upwards, revealing her stocking clad legs. Helen took over, quickly pulling up the fabric and tucking it to cover her womanhood.

Nikola's hand skimmed the far knee, unhooking the stocking from the garter belt, pulling the silk down, just enough so he could see the creamy expanse of her thigh. He gulped once again, feeling that lump in his throat.

He gently brushed the skin.

"Nikola," Helen growled.

"I'm sorry, I'm just looking for a vein," he lied, he was memorizing the feel of her skin.

He sat up and inhaled slightly. The scent alone was nearly too much for him to handle. He had to stop, why couldn't he stop?

He felt his teeth extend and he lowered it gently to the skin, not piercing it just yet. He inhaled once more before sinking them deep in her inner thigh. A resounding gasp came from Helen and it was nearly is undoing.

Then the flavor hit his tongue and it was like ecstasy, slipping over his tongue and splashing down his throat, slowly and erotically, it was liquid sex.

His hand gripped her other knee, squeezing gently. Her eyes closed at the overload of sensation, her hand snaking around to grasp his head, tangling in his hair. It only served to push him further.

She tasted better than he imagined she would; could this woman become anymore remarkable? His hand yearned to snake farther and higher. Just a few inches and it could slip under the fabric and take her to the very high she was taking him to. But he stopped himself. Clenching his teeth to prevent anymore of the intense liquid to pass into him.

"Nikola…stop," Helen croaked, and he pulled himself away, fighting to control his urges.

He breathed in deeply, moving across the room, keeping his eyes off her, knowing that if her saw her beautiful state he would not be responsible for his actions.

He wiped his mouth and shook his head, reciting a page from one of his physics textbooks to calm himself down.

He heard Helen moved and snap her stocking back to her garter belt.

That was too close; he came way too close.

"I should go," he shielded his eyes from seeing Helen.

"Yes, I think that's best."

He moved to the door quickly.

"Call me when the medicine is ready…thank you, Helen," he said quickly.

"Your welcome," she said and he froze. "That was a very…unique experience."

He bit his lip.

"It won't happen again, I promise," he said before leaving, closing the door behind him.

He had to separate himself from her.

He moved quickly to his room, shutting his door and locking it.

He leaned against it.

She's too beautiful. He groaned, wanting to punch himself. This was it he was leaving, heading back to Budapest. He needed to be able to control these urges before he did something he regretted. As much as he wanted to, he didn't regret what he just did, her taste still lingered on his tongue, and it still sent shivers down his body.

He made up his mind. After this, he wasn't going to see her until he could control the animal inside him.


	32. The Actress (1)

**Chapter 32 – The Actress (1)**

_**~~~~New York, Summer 1890~~~~**_

She was beautiful, graceful, classy, and smart. One of those gals that could choke down a bottle of whiskey and still beat you in a game of strip poker.

Nikola liked her instantly.

He had met her in the foyer of the premiere New York theatre after a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night; introductions made by Sam himself. She held out her hand to him, he had accepted it, kissing the top lightly, introducing himself as Nikola Tesla, where she smiled, almost deftly, with the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, I know who you are," she had said, extricating her hand from his and turning to Sam, giving him a peck on his cheek. "You never told me how handsome he was."

Sam had looked at Tesla, Tesla looked back, and the two shared a grin.

"Excuse me, but I really should be getting back to my hotel," Sam tipped his hat, departing leaving the two alone.

Nikola looked over at the beautiful redhead with the smoky green eyes.

"May I escort you, Miss…" he offered his arm, subtly requesting her name.

"I don't give my real name out to just anybody, Mr. Tesla, you have to earn it," she smiled, accepting his arm.

"And how does one go about doing that?" he asked coyly, willing to play her game for the time being.

"I think a drink for starters," she said, leading him out the door of the prestigious theatre into her waiting car.

They never made it to the bar.

Before he realized it she had him walking up the front steps of a nice townhouse, welcoming him inside. She led him into the sitting room by the hand, sat him down on the love seat, and poured him a glass of whiskey, not even asking if that was what he preferred, and he found it ungentlemanly to mention.

She asked for a moment to change, and he allowed it, picking up the glass and taking a sip of the foul liquid; it burned but he kept it down.

She came back a moment later, dressed in less than he was accustomed to and he realized this was all part of the game; who would crack first?

He poured himself another glass of whiskey.

"Do you dress like this for all your guests?" he said smoothly, she laughed huskily.

"Only the ones I like," she responded, coming to sit beside him. "May I take your hat, your coat…your vest…and your shirt?"

Nikola smirked and handed her his hat and coat. When she waited expectantly for the other items he scoffed and shook his head.

"That's all you get," he said coyly before taking another swig of his drink.

She raised an eyebrow but smiled a devious grin that made Nikola's blood rush slightly.

"For now," she said simply, standing up to hang up his coat near the door.

He liked her, very much.

She was a woman before her time, a wolf among lambs, a temptress like that of any Biblical passage his father ever read to him.

Sam knew what he was doing when he introduced him to this woman; this siren.

She returned and stood in front of him, raising a stocking-clad leg on to the edge of the settee, her pelvis right at his eye line.

His eyes crawled up to hers.

"Can you help me with these stockings?" she asked innocently.

Nikola smirked and wordlessly reached a hand to her beautiful thigh, unclasping the hooks with a sharp snap, his hand just brushing over the skin. He slid the silk down her leg, softly, inhaling the scent off her flesh, hearing the blood rush next to his ear.

He brought his lips to the curve of her knee and kissed it lightly, observing her reaction. She gave him an approving glance as he slipped the rest of the stocking off the rest of her foot, then proceeded to do the same to the other leg, which she obliging lifted on to the couch for him.

My god, this woman was stunning, and intriguing, more so than any woman he had ever been with. Nikola always treasured work over human interaction, but there were the occasional people he found to interesting to ignore. His good friend Sam for example, Helen, and a few others made his short list. This actress was slowly climbing up that list.

When he was done with the other stocking she lowered her leg back to the floor.

"Thank you, Mr. Tesla," she said smokily.

"Nikola," he stated.

"Nikola," she smiled slightly. "Very well."

He liked this game.

"You don't go out much, Mr. Tesla, isn't that right?" she said suddenly.

"I go out all the time," he shrugged cryptically, watching her sit next to him on the couch.

"Not with any women," she draped her legs over his lap, taking his glass of whiskey off the table and sipping it with gusto.

"No," he answered.

"What are you hiding?" she asked.

"Is a man not entitled to his secrets?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not with me," she challenged.

"Well then, tell me your name and I'll tell you my secrets," he challenged back. He knew what she was doing, she was testing him, testing to see if he was desperate, or if he would break, he had no intention of doing that.

Nikola took the whiskey glass from her and chugged the rest of it down, handing it back and picking up the bottle to refill it.

"You should be careful with that Mr. Tesla, wouldn't want you to lose your wits," she grinned, shaking out her long red curls.

"It will take a lot more than this for that to happen," he took a swig from the bottle.

"You're so sure about that?" she watched him lower the bottle back to the table.

"Absolutely," he answered without hesitation.

He expected her to question him some more, but instead she leaned over and picked up a pack of cards sitting on the corner of the table. She smiled as she pulled them out of their pack, slowly, her eyes locked on his.

She opened her mouth to speak, chest rising with her breath. Her smoky eyes blinked lazily, her posture relaxed. She grinned deviously and said:

"How are you at cards, Mr. Tesla?"

He was trapped by then, by her eyes, by her words, by every drop of sexual tension she poured into his glass and slid down his throat.

He accepted her challenge, and she had him out of his clothes in three hands. Ironically, he thought.

All he had left on was his mustache and his undergarments.

He kept a straight face, despite his unclothed state, keeping focus on his cards.

It was getting to the end of this round, and he had bupkiss in his hand, all he had left was to bluff. He steeled himself and looked over at her with ease.

In silence she returned his glance, holding his gaze as she threw some chips into the pot. Nikola bluffed by tossing what was left of his chips into the pot, and grinning smugly.

She raised her eyebrow and hesitated. He caught his breath, locking his eyes with hers. Was she going to fold…fat chance…she called his bluff and threw her chips in as well, immediately turning her cards over. Three-of-a-kind, aces high, he had a duce. He tossed his cards away.

She smiled triumphantly.

"I win," she said, leaning back in her chair.

Nikola sighed and stood up, ready to remove his underwear, until she raised a hand to stop him.

"Wait," she stood up, crossing around the table to stand before him, her hands on his sides. "Not here."

She leaned over and grabbed his cravat from off its neatly folded pile on the floor, throwing it around his neck and tugging him closer into her full voluptuous lips, his kissed back fervently. He has never been this hungry for the taste of someone's lips before, no one except…no he wasn't going to think about her now.

He pulled back suddenly.

"What have you done to me?" he looked her in the eyes accusingly, feeling himself in the grips of some kind of spell.

"Seduction, Mr. Tesla, it is a highly effective motivator," she grasped his chin in her hand and brought his lips back to hers. She tasted heavily of the whiskey they had been drinking and he felt her hand slide down his bare back to the edge of his briefs. He retaliated pushing her against the wall and sliding his own hands to her soft white thighs, squeezing them roughly.

Her hands came up into hair, messing it up even more. He sent a little jolt of electricity to her through his fingers, using his long hours of focus and practice to excite every nerve in her body, a small payback for what she was doing to him. He chuckled in triumph when she let out a moan.

She growled and, using his cravat, dragged him up the stairs of the townhouse in a frenzy of moans and kisses.

The beautiful, mysterious redhead threw him on her bed and straddled his lap, crawling her way up to his face, shielding his vision with her rivulets of red hair, descending like a curtain and all he saw was her face just mere inches from his.

His hands came up to her shoulders.

"Wait, tell me one thing first," he gasped out.

She paused, looking into his eyes.

"What is it?" she obliged him, he deserved that much.

"Please tell me if this is a set up? Are you bought and paid for?" he looked at her sincerely with a certain amount of scrutiny and a desperate plea for him to be wrong.

She smiled softly.

"I never entertain those I don't want to entertain," she kissed the corner of his mouth lightly. "You are here because I want you to be. You intrigue me Nikola Tesla…I wanted to see if I could seduce the genius."

Nikola chuckled and kissed her again.

"It appears you can," he slid his hand down to her mid-back. "Now it's my turn."

He took her off guard and spun them around so he was on top.

She gasped amusedly.

He smirked, and leaned in as if to kiss her but as he came close he changed his course and came down to her ear, whispering softly:

"Just call my name if it gets too much for you," he ducked his head as she shuddered, and kissed the soft, tender part of her neck, then lower, and lower, and lower.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola woke up what felt like days later, unsure if it was a dream or not, but when he woke up in a room with theatre posters on the walls, and mannequins holding different outfits and wigs on them, he knew.

His clothes were laid at the foot of the bed, neatly folded, like he left them. He dressed put on his briefs and trousers, pushing the suspenders over his bare torso, not bothering with the shirt just yet.

He looked around the room, taking in all the sight and colors before him, trying to get a sense of what this mysterious woman was all about. All the room could say to him were the things he already knew. He shrugged and walked out of the room and slowly into the hall.

He traveled down the stairs quietly, happy to see his redheaded temptress sitting on the loveseat in the sitting room. She was looking at something intently as he walked over.

"Good morning," he said carefully.

She looked up at him and smiled softly.

"Good morning," she lifted up the object in her hands for him to see and his stomach sank. "You dropped this."

Nikola looked down.

"Give it back," he asked politely. Gesturing to the small silver chain and locket in her hands.

"She's very pretty, this your wife?" she said, a hint of an accusation in her tone.

"No, she's no one," he held out his hand for the locket back.

"Then why do you have a picture of her?" she asked.

"As a reminder, now give it back," he was losing his patience.

"A reminder for what?" she looked at him, unintimidated by him.

"To remind me that I can't go back!" he fumed, snatching the locket and shoving it back in his pocket. "Do you always rifle through your guests pockets to find out their secrets?"

"I found it on the floor, I just assumed it was yours," she shrugged effortlessly.

"Well, you were right, but she's not my wife, she's just someone from my past, she just a ghost…she's…she's…"

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" finished the redhead.

"Trying not to be…I made some mistakes, and now she wants nothing to-…she doesn't want me," he looked down, admitting defeat to this strange woman.

She stood up and came over to him, grasping his head in her hands, kissing him softly.

"Then let me help you forget," she smiled at him softly.

"But I don't even know your name," he scoffed.

"Start with Rose, then go from there," she smiled and kissed him again softly. "Forget with me."

Nikola nodded and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly, pulling the silver chain out of his pocket and dropping the locket on the table as he continued to kiss the beautiful enchantress, his siren, the actress.

"_We got too close, Nikola, way too close, and we destroyed John because of it."_

"_What happened was because of John, not because of us, Helen."_

"_We drove him crazy because he saw us kissing, Nikola, because we almost let our desperation take ahold of us. Do you understand that Nikola? Women died because of a mistake, a mistake we made."_

"_They died because John was a fool! Because he couldn't see what was laid out so clearly for him. You left that night loving him more, more confident in the dreams he could grant for you and he threw it away out of petty jealousy! Unfounded, petty jealousy!"_

"_It's still our fault, Nikola, this is all your fault!" _

"_What? You're blaming me?"_

"_You can't control that darn thing inside you, you can't control yourself, and you drag other people down along with you!_

"_He tried to kill me!"_

"_He wouldn't have killed anybody if you could've just thought about someone else other than yourself for a change!"_

"_What do you want me to do? Go back in time and stop myself from becoming a vampire?"_

"_No, that's not what I meant."_

"_How's about I just stop myself from coming to England all together and then you perfect life can go on without me!_

"_Nikola, I…"_

"_I'll just go rewind the years and tell my younger self, no Nikki boy, Helen's life is soo much more important, so instead of fulfilling your dreams of becoming an inventor, your going to become a priest, because god forbid, Helen Magnus's dreams get shattered!"_

"_Just stop!"_

"_Well, what do you want from me, Helen!"_

"_I…I…I think you should go back to New York…and I think you should stay there…for awhile."_

"_Y-you want me to leave?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I see…well, if the beast inside of me is so horrible, I guess getting as far away from you as I can is probably best."_

"_Nikola, wait…don't be like that…"_

"_No, no, Helen, even I as beastly as I am, can tell when I'm not wanted, don't worry, I'll be gone by tomorrow, you won't ever have to see me again."_

"_Nikola…wait."_

"_Goodbye Helen."_

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Hey all! New update yay! This has been a plot point i've been nursing for awhile, hopefully it don't make you mad!

This is part 1 in a new arc that will span...who knows how long, but it starts a couple years ahead, then it jumps back, then comes forward again, Helen will appear more significantly later, but it starts with Nikola and the Actress, i know you're all seething, saying, it should be Helen playing strip poker with Nikola, but i've noticed that up until now, i've written him to be quite innocent, which is definitely a part of his character, but there is also this undeniable flirt and seducer, and my thoughts were, he had to get it from somewhere, and this is the start, this strange, sexy relationship with a woman shrouded in mystery, that will bring out the incorrigible flirt we all know and love, turning his mode of attack from goody two-shoes in love, into sexy bad boy danger hot!

*Note* this is not his first relationship with a woman, this is set almost 2 years ahead in the timeline, Nikola's probably a several dalliances over the years to control his frustrations. As well for those asking about the whole celibacy bit…I take a page out of the Sanctuary Nikola Tesla handbook, and don't believe he actually was, so I will not write him that way, he was just careful about who and why, earning the reputation of celibate, and also making the public claim to filter out the unwanted admirers…there is a method to the madness! Don'y be all up on my case!

Besides, he's had to have at least some lovers in his whole 150 somewhat years of living, this was something i've mentioned before...can i hear someone say cat fight?

As well, you've noticed that the friendship between Nikola and Helen has been thrown on the rocks because of John...this is going to help remedy that, and further hide Nikola's true intentions from Helen, i think it works...oooh mind-bendy

Please read and review, and just enjoy, grab a glass of wine, have a cookie (offers Niko cookies) and just have fun :)

(I did a small re-edit, just to make a few things clear)


	33. I Wish It Was You (2)

**Chapter 33 – I Wish It Was You (2)**

_**~~~~December 1888~~~~**_

Nikola stood outside her study, his hand clenched into a fist, trembling slightly. It had taken him a long while to build up enough courage to make it this far, but he knew he had to do it, ever since that night she had drunkenly sought comfort from him in the form of a whiskey bottle and a fervent kiss, he knew he had to tell her, he had to let her know, at least so that she would know the truth.

He loved her, and he always would, and he should've told her that before she had gotten mixed up with John, instead of running away. He always ran away when things got too hard, it was why he left his family in Serbia as soon as he was old enough to do so; why he left for Budapest, and from any possibility of a real human connection, especially from women; but not her, not Helen, not the woman that haunted his thoughts and dreams almost nightly.

She was beautiful, perfect, his only equal. Then Druitt had come and shattered her, all because Nikola could not keep his emotions from reaching out to her, and she had gotten caught up in the rush of it.

He had stayed in London since they had found out of John's betrayal, his insanity. He had stayed around this long just for her, for her protection, just as much as her company. Nikola barely managed to rescue her by the skin of his teeth, he almost lost her then, and he would not lose her again, not before telling her the truth.

It was simple, right?

Helen, I love you.

I love you, Helen.

Maybe he should just kiss her, show her how he feels.

Nikola shook his head. No, he was going in there, looking her in the eye, and telling her how he felt, no demands and no expectations. He would love her whether she returned those feelings or not.

He closed his eyes, remembering the feel of her lips when she had kissed him that night, her hand running down his torso, caressing his skin, the soft, dirty words she had whispered into his ear, most unbecoming of a lady, but so intoxicating at the same time.

Nikola opened his eyes, staring at the oak door, fingering the handle.

He could do this, she deserved this much, to know that he would never leave her, that he would crawl through 1oo miles of broken glass just to stand in her shadow, just to see her smile.

He steeled himself, held a firm grip on the handle, turned it, and walked inside.

And there she was, staring out the snow streaked window out at the evening sky, her expression somber and sad. The confidence he had spent so many hours diligently building up shattered like a wine glass on concrete.

He froze, staring at her. Even in her gloomy state she was still more beautiful than he could imagine.

Her blonde hair was done up in a tight bun, she always wore it like that recently, whether for professionalism, or for some other reason. She draped one arm over her stomach as she looked outside, staring into some far off space.

She sighed, breaking the tense silence in the room.

"I know you're there, Nikola. Will you please speak instead of staring at me?" she huffed, crossing her arms, not making eye contact.

Nikola tried to defend himself but found the words caught in his throat.

He had been expecting many things, but not this, not this shortness.

"Helen, I…it's not a good time, I'll come back later," he tried to escape but she huffed, angrily this time.

"Bloody hell, Nikola, you're here now, talk dammit!" she snapped, turning to him, finally.

His blood ran cold, well, colder than usual.

"It's really nothing, Helen," he gulped, not making eye contact with her this time.

"Nikola," she warned.

He let out a ragged sigh and steeled himself again.

"Helen, I…" he looked at her. Why couldn't he say it? It was there, the words were there, what was stopping him. I love you, Helen, that is all I've come to say is that I love you and I never want to be without you. I left because I loved you, I came back because I loved you, and I'm staying because I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. "I…I've finished the device, it should keep any nasty surprises at bay, at least, for awhile."

Coward…he berated himself.

"Is that all?" she asked, her tone icy.

"Y-yes," Nikola groaned internally. No! No! No! She has to know how I feel; I have to tell her!

"Then leave, please, I don't want your company right now," she turned back to the window.

Nikola made a quick escape to the door but stopped suddenly.

She said she didn't want _his_ company…was she mad at him?

He turned back to her.

"Helen?" he asked, his fear melting into concern.

"What?" she barked, but her heard the emotion behind it.

"What's wrong? What's got you like this?" he walked up to her cautiously.

"It is none of your concern," she growled.

"Helen, I am your friend, please tell me, maybe I can help," he offered gently.

"You can't help?" she sighed heavily.

"How do you know that?" he asked light-heartedly.

"Because you're the problem," she turned to him, the two of them coming face to face; eye to eye.

"What do you mean?" he felt his heart sink a little.

"Don't pretend that you don't know," she accused.

A part of him froze. She remembered, she remembered coming into his room at the Inn, she remembers how he almost let his passions get the best of him. She'd heard his confession and either was angry for him not going through with it because she felt the same way, or for letting it get as far as it had, and was appalled with him and his lust.

"W-what?" he managed to say.

"That night…" she shook her head. His heart sank a little further.

"That night?" he was going to play dumb and hope she made things clearer for her.

"In New York, in my hotel room…when we kissed," she whispered the last part and he felt relief at knowing that his secret was still kept.

"It was, it was just a kiss, you know that, emotions were running high, you were having second thoughts, I was…I was overwhelmed with my own situation. We agreed that nothing happened," Nikola was lying through his teeth, lying because he had almost confessed some feelings to her that night.

"You and I both know it was more than just a kiss," she crossed her arms defensively.

"Alright, so it almost got out of hand, but we stopped when we both realized that we were clinging on to something that wasn't there anymore. It was those early years, before the Five. We were once very close friends, with marriage and personal failure on our plates it's understandable to want to hold on to a time when everything was simpler."

"What we almost did was not simple, far from it, and John paid the price for it," she accused.

Nikola felt his heart sink even lower.

"John was driven mad by his power and a lie he fed to himself, if it had never happened it would've only been a matter of time for something else to set off that psychotic rage," Nikola felt the sting of the hit before he even realized that Helen had slapped him.

"Don't say that! Don't bloody say that ever again!" she cried.

"Helen, it was just a kiss, a moment of weakness! You left knowing you were going to marry John and be happy, I met George Westinghouse and built up my company from the ground. Nothing happened, it almost happened, but it didn't, and it meant nothing! John refused to believe that because whatever his power was doing to his mind it degraded that area in the brain that deals with rational thought, just ask James!" Nikola pleaded, trying to cover up the fact that what almost happened, almost happened because she was the girl of his dreams, and the girl of his dreams had kissed him. "That's all. I can't believe you are accusing me for playing some sort of dubious role in this!"

"And why shouldn't I? You were very much a part of this. If you could've just controlled that…creature inside you maybe everything would've been fine!" she away from the window trying to leave but he stopped her.

"Need I remind you that it was you who kissed me?" he said, mentally cursing himself.

"Yes, and I accept my part in this, now it's your turn!" she sighed, her blue eyes booring into his soul."We got too close, Nikola, way too close, and we destroyed John because of it."

"What happened was because of John, not because of us, Helen," Nikola clarified again.

"We drove him crazy because he saw us kissing, Nikola, because we almost let our desperation take ahold of us. Do you understand that Nikola? Women died because of a mistake, a mistake we made."

"They died because John was a fool! Because he couldn't see what was laid out so clearly for him. You left that night loving him more, more confident in the dreams he could grant for you and he threw it away out of petty jealousy! Unfounded, petty jealousy!" Nikola couldn't contain his anger. After all John had done she was still defending him.

"It's still our fault, Nikola, this is all your fault!" she cried, her eyes brimming with tears.

"What? You're blaming me?" Nikola felt his heart sink the rest of the way down.

"You can't control that darn thing inside you, you can't control yourself, and you drag other people down along with you!" she continued, each word eating him like an electric bolt.

"He tried to kill me!" Nikola cried.

"He wouldn't have killed anybody if you could've just thought about someone else other than yourself for a change!" Helen was shouting now.

"What do you want me to do? Go back in time and stop myself from becoming a vampire?" Nikola matched her pitch.

"No, that's not what I meant," Helen rolled her eyes.

"How's about I just stop myself from coming to England all together and then your perfect life can go on without me!" Nikola felt his own emotion get the best of him.

"Nikola, I…" she tried to calm him down, her own tears threatening to burst forth.

"I'll just go rewind the years and tell my younger self, no Nikki boy, Helen's life is soo much more important, so instead of fulfilling your dreams of becoming an inventor, your going to become a priest, because god forbid, Helen Magnus's dreams get shattered!"

"Just stop!" she cried, a hand hitting his chest in desperation for him to stop.

"Well, what do you want from me, Helen!" Nikola sighed, fighting to hold back his own tears.

"I…I…I think you should go back to New York…and I think you should stay there…for awhile," she said honestly and it was the final blow to his already beaten heart. She didn't want him, either as her lover, or in her life in general. She wanted him gone, and he deflated.

"Y-you want me to leave?" he looked at her, feeling something inside him tear.

"Yes," she nodded sadly. That was it, the words so clear in her eyes._ "I wish it was you instead of John." _A new kind of anger bubbled inside him, but not for John, not even for her; it was for himself, for ever believing that she could love him after he had turned into a monster.

"I see…well, if the beast inside of me is so horrible, I guess getting as far away from you as I can is probably best," he stepped away from her, containing his barely manageable emotions. Keeping them from her.

"Nikola, wait…don't be like that…" she tried to stop him but he pushed past her to the door.

"No, no, Helen, even I, as beastly as I am, can tell when I'm not wanted, don't worry, I'll be gone by tomorrow, you won't ever have to see me again," it was the only thing he could say aside from getting on his knees and begging her to love him as he loved her.

He opened the door to her study and took a step out.

"Nikola…wait," she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Usually he would've accepted the touch gratefully, but in this moment it only served to remind him of her unspoken words. "_I wish it was you who killed all those women instead of John. I wish you were the Ripper, then I would have my happy ending with the man I really wanted." _He took the hand off his shoulder and gently gave it back to her.

"Goodbye Helen," he said bitterly before walking, not even bothering with his coat and hat, he just walked, right out the front doors, never turning behind him to see if she was watching, never wondering if she would come running into his arms. Nothing. He just walked, and kept walking, never hailing a cab, or stopping to greet anyone. He just kept walking until he reached his room on the third floor of the small Inn, in the corner of London, out-looking the Thames.

It was here he let himself breakdown. Using his inhuman claws to shred the bedding and snarl fiercely into the silent evening.

The next morning he was gone; an apology to the Innkeeper for destroying her linens, a bank note with enough money to replace them sitting on the desk, and a shattered picture frame lying underneath the bed.

Helen received a message that afternoon from the Innkeeper to come and collect the remnants of Tesla's stuff.

She was devastated at the damage he had done to the room, and even more so by the broken frame the Innkeeper tossed into her hands.

The picture was a painful reminder that she and Nikola had once been the best of friends, and she had told him to leave because he had destroyed her perfect love story, through no fault of his own.

In the resulting weeks, months, years afterward, she heard nothing from him, despite all the messages she sent him. He refused to reply.

Suddenly two years had passed and she hadn't stopped staring at the photo, now reframed and sitting on her desk.

Two long and painful years, filled with occupying herself with patients and tests and abnormals. She helped James with his job at Scotland Yard, assisted Nigel in his experiments, even assisted her father on the few occasions he was actually at home.

Two years, years that would have been much better if he had been there, if she hadn't thrown him out.

She found out she was pregnant, chose to freeze the embryo instead of raise the child on her own, decisions that would've been easier had he been there with her. Though James was trying to be helpful, it was just not the same; he was always too professional about these kinds of things. Nikola knew her, knew what to say to make any burden feel lightened. Now he was the burden.

Helen slammed her hands down on the desk. That was it, she was going to New York, just like she had before, she was going to track him down and apologize and welcome him back to her life. She couldn't go on like this.

She needed Nikola back.

_**~~~~New York, October 1890~~~~**_

Nikola watched the performance, his head cocked to the side. He was sitting in the box, third to the stage. His eyes were fixed on the gorgeous redhead, front and center. Rose.

Her green eyes met his and he smiled. If only the audience knew what sinful ideas lay behind those eyes.

It had been almost two months since he had been introduced to this woman and their relationship, for lack of a better word, had quickly grown from there.

It started with a glass of whiskey and a very interesting game of strip poker, which led to a wild romp of unbridled sex, then somehow led to him confessing to her his secret, which led to this.

This was unlike any relationship he has ever had, with anyone. By day they acted like old friends, chums, they would drink, attend parties, not touching or signs of affection, he would help her out of the cab, he would escort her in, they would socialize as two separate entities then meet up again, he would open the door for her and she would take him home. Then it changed, as soon as they door would shut closed behind them they were all over each other, lips, tongues, skin, everything. Some alcohol would be added to the mix and the night would go wild from there.

There was no emotional attachment from each of them.

Although he did enjoy her company, she was intelligent and passionate, and a beautiful singer. She had theories on life and love and sex that he had never even considered, and she never expected him to court her.

It was…wonderful, on some strange level, some kind of balance between courting a woman and soliciting a prostitute. It was a physical friendship.

The curtain went down and he clapped, standing up to show his appreciation for the wonderful performance, then gathering his playbill and gloves and exiting the box to meet her at her dressing room, and bouquet of roses. He wouldn't normally bring her gifts, but it was opening night, and it was a gesture of friendship.

He knocked at the dressing room door, recognizing her stage name on the front.

A few seconds later she appeared; a smile on her face.

"Oh, Nikki, you shouldn't have," she took the flowers, inviting him in.

"It's opening night. The star of the stage must be partial to at least a little flattery," he grinned and sat down on a chair as she continued to change. Not the least bit awkward to be nude in front of him.

"Did you enjoy it?" she asked.

"You were marvelous, everyone paled in comparison," he grinned.

"Flattery will get you no where," she jokingly fixed a pointed gaze in his direction.

"Is telling the truth a form of flattery? I am honestly saying, you were the star, Rose, you had my attention the entire time."

She moved over to him and leaned down next to his ear.

"Really Nikki? The entire time?" she slid a manicured hand down to his crotch, teasing him slightly.

"Mostly," he held her gaze, smirking cockily.

"I thought so," she removed her hand and returned to the wide mirror.

"I made dinner arrangements," he changed the subject.

"Fancy?" she asked inquisitively.

"Well, a renowned actress like you can't be seen eating just anywhere," he shrugged simply.

"Why, Mr. Tesla? Are you trying to court me?" she teased.

Nikola laughed and stood up, moving up behind her, his hand deftly caressing her exposed thighs.

"You know very well my intentions with you," he whispered in her ear, enjoying her resounding shudder.

"Doesn't dinner seem a long haul to go through for…that," she smirked.

"I thought I might treat you first, a congratulations on the opening night success, it's a grand and special occasion, why not celebrate it with good food, good company, fine wine, and some fun afterwards."

"You really do know how to charm a girl, Mr. Tesla," she reached a hand back and caressed him through his trousers.

"Besides, for what I have planned you are going to need all the sustenance you can get," he added, a devious smile across his face.

"Then I can't very well say no, now can I?" she grinned back. "Now out of my dressing room, if you have all these surprises for me, I need to have a few of my own. Meet you in the lobby."

Nikola nodded, and pressed a quick kiss to her shoulder.

"I'll be waiting," he grinned as he went to the door.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola's back slammed against the back of his door. They had chosen his apartment tonight for their tryst and the moment he had locked the door behind them, she was on him, tongues fighting a duel and hands scrambling at buttons and ties and laces to free the skin from its confines.

She, so far, was winning that race. His shirt tails were pulled out and unbuttoned, his undershirt pushed up, exposing his flat stomach to her teasing nails. His hair stood on end and she gyrated her expert hips against him roughly.

Their evenings together started mostly like this, unless she came up with some way to slowly torture him throughout the entire evening.

Nikola was on fire, even more so as the pulled the cork out of a bottle of whiskey and sloppily poured it down his throat; always whiskey with her, never anything else.

Pushed against her and shoved her towards the bed, using a small amount of his vampiric strength. She bounced on the bed as she landed, and he followed suit, his hands sliding under the hem of her skirts, and slowly up her thigh.

"You're mine tonight," he smirked triumphantly.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

The cab stopped outside the building and she stepped out, handing a few coins to the driver and patting the horse affectionately before heading to the outer door.

She knocked but there was no answer.

She pulled out a gun from her coat, remembering the last time she had come to visit him in New York and he had ended up strapped to an electric chair.

The door was unlocked so she headed up the stairs, carefully and cautiously, not making a sound.

_**~~~~Meanwhile~~~~**_

Nikola smirked into Rose's skin, wishing he could tell her of his vampirism and bite her. Talk about setting her on fire, if it was anything like he'd experienced she'd have him biting her all over.

For now, he'd have to settle for nuzzling and suckling the sweet skin.

She giggled, and shoved her hands through his hair, before taking another swig from the bottle.

_**~~~~Meanwhile~~~~**_

She reached the top of the stairs and heard noises coming from the inside, the sounded like muffled groans and a panic rose in her chest. She knocked on the door, gun poised.

_**~~~~On the other side~~~~**_

Nikola lifted his head at the knock at the door.

He groaned, not really appreciating the interrupting.

"One moment," he whispered to Rose. "Just stay…exactly how you are…don't! Don't move a muscle, you minx."

Rose winked at him, remaining still, as he had instructed.

He smirked, grabbing the whiskey bottle and taking a generous swig from its contents before opening the door.

"Yes, what can I…" he froze. There she was, as beautiful as he remembered. Blonde hair was let down in tasteful rivulets, blue eyes sparkling. What was she doing here? "H-Helen…"

Helen was slightly disconcerted at his current state. His hair was messy and disheveled, his clothes undone and stained, and a bottle of whiskey…whiskey! No less!

"Nikola, are you alright?" she asked, concern leaking into her features.

Nikola went into panic mode, noticing he was holding a bottle of whiskey, then noticing his appearance and then remembering that he had a half-naked woman lying in his bed. He shoved the whiskey inside, and quickly ran his hand through hair to semi-fix it.

He pushed himself outside into the stairwell, being careful with the door as to cover up the fact that he was with another woman.

"What are you – What are you doing here?" asked Nikola.

"I came to see you," Helen said honestly.

"Now is not a good time, could we set up something for tomorrow? Coffee?" he offered; he really didn't want Helen here right now.

"Nikola, what is going on? What are you hiding?" she saw right through him.

"Nothing, it's just the place is a mess, I'm a mess, it's all…really messy," he said lamely.

Helen didn't buy it.

"Nikola, move away from the door," she ordered.

"It's nothing, Helen, just a little thing I have to fix and then it'll all be good," he guarded the door with his life. "Just drop it, Helen."

"What has gotten into you? I haven't heard one word from you in 2 years and I come to see you and you are drinking whiskey, you look like you practically bathed in it, and your hair…you're acting so strangely, and I want to know why?"

"Why do you care? It was you who asked me to leave, so I left. What gives you the right to throw me out then come back and force your way into my private business, like nothing has happened," he growled lowly.

"I am your friend, Nikola, and this is not you."

"Yah, well, people change," he sighed.

"Not like this," she looked at him with genuine concern.

"Please, talk to me tomorrow, I'll explain it all to you tomorrow, just not now!" he pleaded.

"Why not?" she growled. Shoving him to the side long enough for her to grip the door handle and force her way in.

She froze instantly and Nikola sighed, looking away.

Helen and Rose's eyes met immediately.

Helen felt instantly embarrassed seeing the woman's exposed state on Nikola's bed.

"Oh," she said, looking down at her hands. "I guess I was wrong, Nikola. Something hasn't gotten into you…seems like you have rather gotten into something."

Nikola wiped a hand across his face.

Why did God hate him so much?

Helen turned and walked out of the room quickly, her face flushed.

"I'm sorry, I'll leave you two alone."

Nikola groaned and followed her.

"Helen!" he chased her down the stairs and to the street. "I tried to tell you, Helen."

He touched her shoulder and she spun around and slapped him.

"How could you? After all that's happened how can you go and sleep with a prostitute!" she cried.

"Rose is not a prostitute," Nikola sighed, understanding why she would get that assumption.

"She's not?" Helen asked, not entirely convinced.

"No, she's an actress…from a wealthy background! She and I are…"

"Oh," Helen jumped to conclusions, feeling even more embarrassed.

"No, we're not…we're just friends, Helen," he sighed, finding it, once again, hard to explain exactly what he and Rose were to each other.

"Nikola, what I saw was more than just friendly association," she glared at him.

"So we aren't friends in the conventional sense, but she is not a whore and she is not my betrothed," he paused. "I shouldn't have to explain myself to you! Helen, you threw me out of your life, it doesn't matter one iota to you what I do with whoever I choose to do it with!"

"I did not throw you out of my life, I just needed…needed some space," Helen sighed.

"You asked me to leave, so I left, I gave you all the space you needed," Nikola remarked bitterly.

"I tried to stop you, but you didn't listen to me, I was upset, I'm sorry!" she cried.

"Can we talk about this later? Please, Helen," Nikola pleaded. "I have a standing reservation at this restaurant downtown, please, have lunch with me, we can discuss my sins then."

Helen sighed and nodded, willing to compromise.

"Alright," she nodded before climbing back into her cab and leaving.

Nikola ran a hand through his hair again and let out a heavy sigh.

By the time he made it back upstairs Rose was dressed and fixing her hair in the mirror.

Nikola let out another groan.

"Oh not you too," he slumped on to the edge of the bed.

"So that was Helen," she said evenly. "She's very pretty, your photo of her doesn't do her justice."

"Please, don't mock me, not now," Nikola planted his face in his hands. "Why'd she have to come on this night, of all nights?"

"Are you going to go after her?" asked Rose.

Nikola sighed and went to her, taking her hands gently.

"No, I was just…a little flustered," Nikola kissed the top of her hands. "Helen is…Helen doesn't think of me…like that…and I'm done pursuing something that isn't there."

Rose smirked and kissed his forehead lightly.

"It doesn't take a genius to see that you're still in love with her," she said honestly.

Nikola looked up at her, apologetically.

"I can help…I saw the look on her face when she came in," Rose sat down beside him.

"She thought you were a prostitute, she was appalled," Nikola rolled his eyes.

"No, that's not what I saw, I saw something much more virulent than moral scruples…jealousy, her eyes nearly blazed with it, even if unconscious. There is something inside of her that sees you as an object of desire, you can use that, Nikola."

"No, no, I won't take advantage of her, not like that…not after what she's been through," Nikola shook his head.

"Not take advantage, just play your cards right," she smiled deviously and Nikola clued into the reference.

"Cards you say," he said contemplatively.

"Now, are you meeting her tomorrow?" asked Rose.

"Yes, at noon, I asked her to join for lunch," said Nikola.

"Perfect, now here's what you got to do…"


	34. Playing the Cards (3)

**Chapter 34 – Playing the Cards**

Helen sat at Nikola's reserved table at the restaurant. The Maitre'D was hardly surprised when she had told him whose party she was joining and Helen wondered if Nikola entertained here regularly...with other women…with Rose.

The name was like acid on her tongue. Rose. Rose who? The Actress? How could he fall in love with someone like that, so base, so morally barren. Her kind of women were one step up from the women that entertained men for a fee…and this one, with her red hair, and long legs, and bright green eyes that showed no hint of shame despite her widely displayed parts. How could Nikola find enjoyment in her? He had always been attracted to the intelligent, independent, scientifically minded…blonde curly hair…

Helen shook her head.

She didn't care. As he said, it wasn't her business who Nikola wasted his time with. If he wanted to spend time with Rose the Theatre Slut that was his own prerogative, she was going to have lunch with him, and that was all.

She checked her watch. Where was he, he was normally so punctual to the point of obsessive habit. He was nearly five minutes late.

She felt his presence before she saw him, and her head snapped in his direction. His hair was slicked back, mustache combed and trimmed, and dressed dark clean suit. Her heart skipped slightly, but she shook her head. What was wrong with her?

He handed his coat and hat to the coat check, but she could feel his eyes on her. He saw her; she wondered if he'd caught her staring. She kept her hands together in her lap, twiddling the thumbs slightly as he approached the table.

"Helen, thank you for coming," he said casually, as if she were another one of his business partners. She hated it.

"Well you promised me an explanation," she said coolly, trying not to give away her warring emotions at seeing her old friend.

"I did, didn't I?" he said calmly. "But first, a drink."

He signaled to the waiter and ordered a glass of wine for himself.

"Anything for the lady?" asked the young man.

"Tea, please," she said equally as calm. She had no idea why he was acting like this, was it for appearances sake, or had he forgotten their awkward encounter the night before?

"Now that that's settled, I recommend the soup, it's quite good," he opened the menu.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Nikola, please spare me the charade. I came here for a reason, just get on with it," she glared at him, her blue eyes fierce and impatient.

Nikola met her gaze, his glance placid and unnerved.

"_Step one: First impressions. Wear your best suit, look your best, and break all your normal convention and arrive a few minutes later than the prescribed time. When you arrive, don't panic, remain calm and collected, casually hand your coat to the coat check, stroll unapologetically to the table, greet her as if you had planned to arrive at this time, treat her like an associate. She will not be expecting that from you and it will put her on high alert, combined with the feelings from last night, she'll be flustered."_

"_And that will serve to…"_

"_Break the patterns she has grown accustomed to around you, think of it as opening a door. Step one is approaching the door from an angle it doesn't expect."_

"Nikola?" Helen kept her eyes locked on his, trying to read his expression.

"As you wish, Helen, I will explain, but there is no use until we've at least ordered something. I will tell you whatever you want to know while it is being prepared," he said earnestly.

"Fine," Helen steeled herself, watching him suspiciously.

"_Step two: Avoid talking about anything substantial until she has ordered her meal."_

"_So she can throw it at me when she hears something she doesn't like?"_

"_No, so she won't leave. If she is a lady of sense, as I've heard you describe, she will not leave until the meal is over. It goes against her nature. If there is nothing coming she could just walk out, then you would have to follow her and make a scene; you don't want that."_

"_So I don't talk to her?"_

"_Oh you do, but about trivial things like the weather, or the tablecloth, she will assume you are deflecting from the issue and demand that you stop. Once she does, you simply tell her to order first and you will explain as you wait."_

"_And then what?"_

"_That's when the fun begins…"_

Nikola handed the menu to the waiter and leaned back in his chair as Helen did the same. The waiter lowered their beverages before them and left, leaving them in a tense silence.

Nikola grinned softly and reached for his wine, sipping it lightly before placing it back down on the table.

"Mmm, good year," he thoughtfully pondered the flavor.

Helen watched his every move, waiting patiently for him to explain his behavior, his change in personality, his fraternization with that woman, anything that could inform her on who this man was sitting across from her. It was certainly not the young Serbian man she had befriended all those years ago. This was not her best friend.

"Nikola, what is this?" she remarked.

"It's called lunch," he smirked at her.

"Not that, I mean you, what are you doing?" she gestured to him.

"Helen, what are you talking about?" he looked at her passively.

"This! You've been acting strangely ever since last night. First, I find you drenched in whiskey, carrying the bottle like a drunkard, your appearance in shambles, then I learn you and this woman, this actress, are engaging in casual sex as if it as simple as going to the races, then this! You're not yourself Nikola, this woman has turned you into…"

"Someone else?" he offered.

"A stranger," she clarified. "I barely recognize you, Nikola. You're starting to act like those airheads you used to criticize for being spoiled arrogant unintelligent boors!"

"Helen, I assure you I am still myself, Rose has just simply brought out a side of me that you are not used to," he shrugged.

"This is much more than a side, this is a complete shift!" she cried.

"Helen, calm down, and I'll explain."

"_Step 3: Have her convinced that you're under some kind of influence, she will most likely blame me, let her; she will think that I our activities have made you act this way. This will open the door to Step 4."_

"_Step 4?"_

"_The Proposition. Give her an enticing offer that she can't refuse, at least, not immediately."_

"_How?"_

"_Appeal to her intelligence."_

Nikola held his wine glass in his fingers gently, his eyes still on Helen.

"My time with Rose has revealed a few things about myself to me, things I had never really considered until now," he started his explanation, watching Helen's reaction carefully. "I was bottling up my desires, my base urges, all for the sake of appearances. I've spent my early life trying to impress, trying to appear above the norm, and though I am certainly more evolved than most, this heritage bestowed to me by my ancient race has opened a whole new world of experience that I have yet to explore."

"Nikola?" Helen did not understand where he was going with this exactly.

"I've been cautious, Helen, afraid of being hurt or let down but I've come to realize…I'm immortal! You shoot me, I heal, you dash my dreams I can take them elsewhere. There are no obstacles, nothing to hold me back from what I want. I have the whole of time to make my mark!"

"So, this is why you've been acting differently?" Helen still eyed him suspiciously.

"Helen, think about it, you and I, we have the world before us, we saw the effect of the blood on your life. You will live a long time, just like me, we have free reign to fulfill dreams, take chances, and make mistakes."

Realization hit Helen…mistake? She caught what he was referring to. He was referring to their mistake, to their almost night of passion.

"Nikola…I," she tried to stop him.

"Helen, just think about it! Put behind all those sensibilities you were brought up with, we broke out of those shells the moment we injected ourselves with the source blood…Rose doesn't have nearly as much time as we do and she is living twice as much! She defies social convention, defies the principles of the old age, and does not fear her judgement."

He took Helen's hand in his.

"She does what she wants, with whom she wants," he leaned towards Helen, his mustache just tickling her ear. "I want you."

Helen's breath hitched in her throat at his words.

"Me, Nikola?" she was shocked at his silent proposition.

"Yes. I won't deny I have always found you beautiful; physically and mentally appealing, but I didn't want to ruin our friendship with these base desires," he spread her hand open, palm up, examining the lines of her hand. "And I think you understand."

He lowered his lips to her hand. Helen gasped at the contact, both shocked he would make such a bold gesture, and shocked because he was right, she had the same thoughts, the same desires.

She jerked her hand out of his grip, slightly embarrassed by the fact of them being in a very public place.

He just grinned.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said more harsh than she had intended.

He leaned back in his chair.

"I'm just posing an experiment, Helen. You remember our last one…you tasted delicious by the way," he smirked deviously.

"You bastard," she growled.

"Helen, you came to New York for a reason, and I think it was for more than the fact that you were worried about me," he looked at her pointedly.

"In fact, that is exactly the reason, and I still am," she drank a gulp of her now cold tea.

"Really? There isn't a part of you just aching to assist me in my…experiment, you can't deny you are a little curious. We almost did it once."

"That was under a completely different set of circumstances," she sighed.

"Well, then, here are mine. One night, one bottle, one time, one thought."

"Excuse me?"

"One night to settle down our base urges for each other, settle our burning curiosity. One bottle to share, you can pick. One time, this is not a permanent arrangement, no strings, no expectations, no promises, just you and me and the aforementioned."

"What's the one thought?" Helen asked cautiously.

"That will come afterwards," he said cryptically.

Helen sat there speechless. On one hand she was deeply disturbed that he would even propose such a thing, in a public venue no less. It was debaucherous, it was surreptitious, it went against every value she had been raised with, but on the other hand, she was deeply, deeply considering it.

John was the only man she had ever been with and thought she had only gone that far because she had been convinced that she and John were going to share a life together, full of love and lovemaking. What Nikola, her best friend in the world, was offering was a chance to remove that stain from her, a chance to break that shattered promise, to free her from John's hold on her.

And there was no better man to do it with. She trusted Nikola whole-heartedly, and she knew he would never hurt her intentionally, and she couldn't deny this side of him was mysterious, alluring and playful.

He offered one night, no attachments. It would be a moment placed outside of time, just for them.

She looked at Nikola and bit her lip in thought.

"_Step five: well that's the easy part."_

"_What? What's step five?"_

"_She either agrees or she doesn't, you respond accordingly."_

"_What if she says no?"_

"_Then you return to normal and enjoy your meal with her."_

"_What if she says yes?"_

Nikola fell against the door, Helen's hands pinning him against it, her lips commanding him to kiss her with all he had.

He fumbled in trying to fulfill her demands and lock the door at the same time. She gripped his cravat and pulled him up the long staircase. He followed willingly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pushing her against the wall, the uneven footing of the stairs putting him in the perfect position to nip at her neck. She gasped at the attack but slid her hands into his wild hair, enjoying the way it felt between her fingers.

She had never done something so juvenile as this, so chaotic and needy.

With John, it was an expression of love. With Nikola it was a culmination of her angers and frustrations, her needs, her desires, her hunger for those teeth in her skin, those claws against her back, those black eyes looking into her soul and tearing John out of it, like a tumor.

This was his gift to her, one night just to feel.

His human hand cupped her face, pulling her into a searing kiss.

God, why hadn't she done this sooner.

A part of her knew she had always wanted this, wanted the foreign genius with her, in her; he set every nerve on fire.

Nikola released her and gripped her hand, leading her further up the stairs to the top of the stairwell. Once she reached the top she pushed him roughly against the wall again. Her hands pulled open the buttons of his vest and sliding them into the warm space, feeling him through the thin fabric of his shirt.

He growled like an animal. He remembered how aggressive she could be when driven by desire. She was a born lover, as remarkable with her hands as she was with her mind.

Their lips mingled once more, sucking the air out of each other, trying to see who would break and gasp for air first.

He tugged her over to the door to his apartment, hands fumbling for the doorknob. The door opened and he pulled her through quickly, shutting it behind them and locking it.

"You promised a bottle," Helen said raggedly, her chest heaving with the ragged lust running through her system.

Nikola smirked and lifted a finger.

"Stay there," he rushed to find the bottle he'd been saving for a special occasion. This definitely qualified.

He returned and she had taken off her hat, gloves and coat and was proceeding to push her gown down over her hips. Nikola froze, god she was beautiful.

Her blue eyes caught him staring and she smiled.

"Enjoy what you see?" she said temptingly and he wetted his lips.

"Immensely," he walked over to her. She was still in her undergarments but even so, she was delectable.

He felt his fangs yearn to retract and taste the white supple skin it could see but he resisted and instead used them to pull the cork out of the bottle and take a large swig from it, then hand it to her.

She did the same, and her temporary distraction was enough for him to envelop her with his hands.

Oh if he had to wait three years or thirty to see her again it would be worth it. Tonight she was his, willingly.

She peeled his offending layers off his arms and let it drop to the floor. All her left was his undershirt and she was already tugging that out of his trousers.

Her hands trailed close, and he smirked, taking them in his and holding them away.

"We have all night for that, your mine till sun up, why go rushing things?" he teased and kissed her gently.

He lifted the bottle to his lips and took another sip.

She met his challenge and stole the bottle back.

"Afraid of ending too soon?" she teased.

He smirked, ooh she had a crude sense of humor sometimes, he loved it.

"I have plans," he wiggled his eyebrows, using his grip of one of her hands to spin her around so her back was against his chest. "Starting here."

He lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking on the sensitive flesh, enjoying her resounding gasp.

His hands removed the pins from her hair and shoved it aside.

"May I bite you?" he asked in a haughty whisper. She shuddered.

"Not there," she challenged.

Nikola smirked and turned her to face him before lowering to his knees and nuzzling her stomach.

"Here?" he asked simply.

She tried hard to suppress a groan.

"No," she said as evenly as she could.

He smirked against the fabric of her clothing and took one of her hands in his soft hands and peppered it with wet kisses till her came up to the wrist.

"Here?" he asked again,

"No," Helen shuddered.

He smirked, he of course knew where she wanted but he was being perfectly clear about the winner of this battle of wills.

Her violent tug of his hair indicated she knew as well, and wordlessly pleaded to stop this torture.

He obliged her and gently pushed up the underskirts to reveal her stocking-clad legs. The scent of her was like an old friend.

He unclipped the stockings and slid them down her leg to pool at her feet. She kicked them off.

He saw the remnant scars of his teeth in her flesh. That had been a moment of strained eroticism for him, but now he had full reign to make her feel whatever he wished.

He lightly kissed the skin of her thigh, and the scars, resulting in a sharp gasp from her. He noted that reaction but pulled away, letting her skirts fall back down.

He wasn't going to give her what she wanted, not now.

Her growl of frustration was delightful and he grinned triumphantly, sitting back on his haunches, pulling the wine from her hands and wetting his thirst with it.

She damn near knocked it out of his hands, and it splashed onto his face, ash his back hit the floor, the force of the shove leaving him dazed.

She straddled his hips and licked the alcohol off his face in long lazy strokes, then the alcohol saturated tongue pushed past his lips and met with another strong, heated kiss.

This woman was torture, sweet torture.

"_If you play your cards right, Nikki, it won't be something she'll forget easily."_

"_She won't instantly fall in love with me."_

"_No, but once she knows what you can offer her, it will be only a matter of time."_

"_I have time."_

The night rolled away, wave after wave, in a mindless pleasure-filled blur. Tongues fought tongues, skin against skin, kiss after kiss, until the morning rays fell across Nikola's eyelids.

He cracked his eyes open slowly, the fog of sleep over him, as he took the time to register the warm, pale entity lying next to him.

The bare expanse of her back lay open to him and he used the arm draped around her waist to pull her closer into his embrace, lowering his lips to the skin in a slow open-mouthed kiss.

She moaned sleepily, a dry chuckle escaping her lips.

"You look…absolutely delicious in the morning," he said softly, continuing his trail of kisses.

"And you're up way too early," she half-mumbled into the pillow.

He laughed weakly and rested his head against her skin, enjoying the way the sun hit this exact spot, warming everything up.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"Probably close to around 9:30, I don't know for sure, I'm just going by the position of the sun," he sighed, nuzzling her.

"Always the scientist," she laughed, rolling over to face him. "Your eyes are so pretty in the morning."

She caressed his cheek, feeling the rough stubble across his chin.

"Even your mustache looks attractive," she added jokingly.

"What is wrong with my mustache?" he laughed incredulously.

"After what you did last night, not a darn thing," she twirled the mustache playfully.

He laughed and leaned down to kiss her gently.

"You weren't so bad yourself," he teased, his arm still draped around her, putting him in the perfect position to pin her into the mattress and give her a decent kiss, tugging her warm naked body under his.

She responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his lithe torso.

His other hand situated itself in her curls, entangling them in the long red locks.

"Good morning, Miss Rose," he whispered after breaking the kiss.

"Good morning Mr. Tesla," Rose whispered back.

"You look ravishing, must you go to rehearsals?" he whined slightly, placing a few short kisses to her chin, neck, and collarbone.

"I must, but they aren't till noon…and I could use a wash, care to help?" she offered with a sly grin.

"I can't very well refuse, now can I?" he smirked.

"Well, it would be very ungentlemanly," she responded.

"And I am nothing if not a gentleman," he added.

"I'll get started on that hot water," she pushed him to the side and rose up off the bed, unashamed of her naked state and Nikola watched her leave with a playful eye.

He reached over to the other side of the bed and found the bottle of wine and glass her had left there the evening before, pouring himself a generous portion before getting up himself, pulling on his briefs.

It was nearly November, 1890.

He walked over to the small desk in the corner of the room, there were papers strewn across the top and he rifled through them absently. Most were memos from George, requesting blue prints, and requisitions on materials, a few cheques he'd yet to cash in, and a slightly crinkled playbill from the last performance he'd attended.

He gently grazed it and heard a sound of metal scratching against wood, coming from beneath the pamphlet.

He moved it aside and found a silver metal locket on chain.

Nikola lifted it gently in his free hand, examining it fondly, using the thumb to open it. There she was, frozen in time, her blonde hair, her sparkling blue eyes, promising more than they could offer.

He smirked sadly.

"Next time, Helen," he said to himself. "Next time."

"Nikki!" called Rose from the bathroom.

"Coming," he said, placing the locket back down on the desk, and turning to join his 'friend' in the adjoining room.

His thoughts still on the small face locked inside that locket.

He had time, and so had she. One day she would accept his offer of love as whole-heartedly as she had accepted John's.

If he played his cards right.


	35. An Arrangement of Sorts

**Chapter 35 – An Arrangement Of Sorts**

_**~~~~August 27, 1893~~~~**_

The sight was a marvel, over 100 thousand bulbs illuminating 600 acres of fairground as brightly as if it were mid-afternoon.

All because of him.

The moment she had heard of his success, she knew she had to come, had to see his brilliance in action, and it was spellbinding.

Helen Magnus walked through the grounds of the World's Fair, her eyes blinking with the spectacle of color, light, music and culture; it was amazing. There was likely to never be an event such as this ever again, not like this, not with such magic.

She entered into the Electrical Exhibit. There were switchboards, displays of whirring and spinning technology, producing steam or sparks, and motion.

She recognized the weasel, Edison, promoting his so-called superior direct current. He captured a small audience before him, they watched, standing in awe of his words. Helen watched and listened, scoffing at his propaganda and slander of her dear friend.

Had it really been three years since she last saw him? She nearly blushed with the memory. Their last encounter had been…interesting. Nikola had proposed an experiment, she had been inclined to participate, things had heated up between the exponentially, then…

A loud voice broke from her thoughts. She knew that accent in a heartbeat and spun to its source. He always did know how to make an entrance.

Lightning was crackling from his fingertips, shooting into the air and then dissipating like a puff of smoke. The small audience Edison had managed to gather slowly edged away to the grand display Tesla was making.

Nikola was never good at explaining his genius, but he was a master at showing it.

Helen slowly made her way through the crowd, making sure to keep her head low. She didn't want him to spot her until she was ready.

Nikola started picking participants, Helen watched as his gentle hands escorted a giggly woman on to the platform. That woman had no idea the beauty of those hands, those masterful hands. Helen remembered them fully, the way they slid along her curves, soft and purposeful.

He whispered instructions into the woman's ear, his trimmed mustache moving ever so slightly with the curl of his lips, lips that had the power to command passion, and bruising heat, then softly kiss it away into bliss.

The woman took his hand, as per his instructions, and in the other she held a light bulb, like the many that lit up the entire room. Without the use of wires, or anything else for that matter, the light bulb lit up in the woman's hands, a collective gasp resounding from the audience.

The evening wore on; Tesla continued his demonstrations. Helen stayed glued to the spot, like most of the crowd, fixated on this sorcerer. She, of course, was thinking about something completely different.

Eventually, he bowed gracefully, sending out one last crack of lightning for good measure. The onlookers applauded in bewilderment then dwindling off to look at other exhibits.

Helen stayed where she was. A few (female) stragglers approached Nikola, giggling furiously. These types of women had always flustered Nikola, they were loud and came in packs, with wily fingers that threatened to reach out and ruin his suit jacket.

Helen sniggered watching him try to delicately tell them he was busy and wanted nothing to do with him.

She decided she would help him get out of this tough spot, just this once. For the first time that evening, she lifted her head to reveal her face under her large and feather hat, and met his gaze. In his eyes he saw all the discomfort and fear melt away as his mind registered the beautiful woman in front of him. He politely excused himself from the group of gabby girls and made his way over to her smoothly, a look of disbelief and amusement in his eyes.

"Helen?" he smiled slightly as he approached her. "You're here, I'd wondered if you'd come."

"Well, when one of your dearest friends wins the bid to light up the entire World's Fair, it's only decent to come and marvel at his triumph," she smiled back at him, allowing him to lift her hand up to his lips and kiss the top lightly, the gesture sending a small chill down her spine.

"And…" he chided smugly, a small twinkle in his eye.

"It's fantastic Nikola, absolutely fantastic," she adored the way his eyes lit up as she spoke, despite his smug grin.

"Have you seen Edison scowling all night?" Nikola smirked, whispering to her, pointing to the sour-faced American subtly. "The man is thinking he should've killed me when he had the chance. Then I was just a thorn, but now, I'm a veritable thorn bush, choking off any chance of his DC current from thriving."

Helen rolled her eyes slightly.

"Please, don't remind me, I worry enough about you as it is," the words slipped out of her mouth before she realized their meaning. Nikola grinned insufferably. "I mean the man literally tried to kill you with that bloody chair."

"You worry about me?" he looked even more smug. "You shouldn't Helen, afterall, I am a vampire."

"Only part, and even then, the Christians found a way to kill them off centuries ago. You are only immortal to a point, Nikola," she sighed.

"What are the chances of big old potato head Edison finding that method," shrugged Nikola effortlessly.

"Desperate people will try anything," she looked over to Edison's booth, as he attempted again to attract an audience to his lies, this time with much less success.

"I think he's occupied for the moment at trying to discredit me, I don't think you have anything to worry about," he took her hand, causing another involuntary shiver to crawl up her arm and throughout her body.

"Come, have a drink with me," Nikola offered.

Helen eyed him suspiciously, last time he as her out for a drink he ended up pouring half of it down between her…

"Alright," she agreed, looping her arm with his and allowing him to escort her around the fairgrounds.

"I've missed you," he leant over and whispered to her as they walked.

"Did you now? I would've thought you'd have been too busy," she said teasingly, though inside her something twinged hopefully.

"Can you believe it has been three years? You haven't aged a day," he teased back.

Helen scoffed.

"Neither have you, though I'm pretty sure your mustache is getting bigger," she reached over and twirled it with her fingers, "I really do wish you'd shave it of, you look so much more handsome without it."

Nikola did not respond but grinned even more smugly at the fact she considered him handsome at all.

"How's Rose?" Helen changed the subject abruptly.

"Oh, good, she's married now," Nikola shrugged simply.

"To yo-"

"Oh no, not to me," he shook his head quickly.

"Really?" Helen was slightly shocked. He nodded.

"Some rich theatre enthusiast who promised her a life of ease as long as she was married to him and still on the stage. She couldn't refuse, it was exactly what she wanted," he sighed.

"How did you feel about it?" she asked.

"Oh, we had stopped seeing each other…like that…long before then. I attended the wedding, it was very nice, free wine…she's very happy now. We keep in contact; unfortunately she could not attend the fair. She is playing Ophelia in Hamlet."

Helen felt somewhat relieved that Nikola and the actress had went their different ways, though she was not sure why. She had never really liked his relationship with the woman, it seemed so barbaric, a physical romance instead of an emotional, or even the prospect of having no intention to take it further than that. Of course, she had accepted the same offer from him.

"How about you? How are the boys?" Nikola asked.

"Nigel is in love, with some dancer named Carla, I don't suspect it will last very long, and James, well, James is James, no real change there."

Nikola chuckled dryly.

"Still working for Scotland yard, I presume," she nodded. "And your father?"

"He sends us gifts from all the places he goes to, he just recently sent us a new form of iodine from his base in South Africa, but he hasn't been home in a long while," sighed Helen sadly.

Nikola halted and looked at her, lifting her chin to look at him.

"I'm glad you came," he said softly.

Her eyes darted momentarily to his lips, she still remembered that night, three years ago, when he had offered her a night, no strings, no promises, just him and a bottle of wine.

It had come so close, so close to something she couldn't handle.

_Nikola lifted up her skirts, pinning them to her hip with one hand, his other hand slowly pulling her stockings down her legs. The pad of his thumb grazed over her skin lightly, leaving a small tingling sensation in its wake. There was something exciting about what he was going to do, something she hadn't realized she yearned for until he had asked._

_The remnants of their last experiment were still marked on her thigh, and his hot breath against her leg sent shivers up her spine. The hairs of his mustache tickled her skin, only increasing the sensation throughout her, she remembered the last time he'd had his lips there, certainly for different intentions, or at least she had thought so at the time. Since then he had not paid any particular attention to that spot, not until he had reminded her just moments ago._

_His lips grazed across a particularly sensitive spot and she gasped in surprise at the sense memory of his teeth in her thigh, the tingling sensation rolling up her leg around her gut and down into her…she would not be hesitant to feel it again that was for sure. Her relief was not given as she felt his hand release her hip and the fabric of her skirts flop against her skin. She opened her eyes to his wide, smug grin, still kneeling before her as an earnest supplicant…turns out not so earnest._

_He took the bottle she still held gripped in her tight fist, lifted it up to his lips, winked, and then drink a long slow draught from it, just to tease. She hadn't the patience for this. She felt an anger boil within her, and before she could comprehend she growled and pressed her hands firmly into his chest, knocking him off balance. He flew backwards, his back hitting the floor, choking on a fragment of unswallowed wine lodged in his throat from the shock of her sudden forcefulness._

_Now, it was her turn. She lifted her skirts enough so they would stay out of her way and straddled him, noting the spilt wine on his face. She took it as her prerogative to clean off the remnants before continuing, it would be such a shame to waste even a drop of such a fine vintage._

_The sounds of his strained groans under her only fueled her passions, till she couldn't resist anymore and covered his mouth with hers in a hot, open mouthed, alcohol infused kiss. She could taste the wine off his tongue as surely as he could taste hers._

_Why had she waited so long to do this?_

Helen snapped out of the memory, looking back into Nikola's sharp blue eyes.

"I couldn't very well miss this success, this was no small feat, you deserve recognition, and someone to celebrate with," she smiled at him and he smiled back, obviously satisfied with her answer.

He eyed her for a moment, wondering if there was a double meaning behind her words. He decided there was none, but just for fun…

"You missed me as well didn't you? You wanted to see if my offer still stand," he smirked, gauging her reaction.

"What offer?" she tried to act appalled but he saw her cheeks flush slightly.

"My offer to settle your base desires with a bottle of wine and a night of passion," he whispered in her ear, not willing to attract any stray ears into this conversation.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Nikola, please," she sighed.

"It's all right Helen, you don't have to act on these urges, it's just sweet that you thought of me," he teased and she felt a familiar sense of anger in her.

"You are so bloody arrogant to think that I-" she blurted out hotly.

"Helen, Helen, I'm just teasing," he took her hand in his and gently rubbed his thumb over the top.

"Well, I don't think it's very funny," she glared at him, now feeling embarrassed.

"I apologize, can you forgive me?" he gave her a look she could only describe as being akin to that of a puppy asking for a cuddle.

"Fine, just this once though, next time I will most certainly hit you," she let out a frustrated sigh; sometimes he could be so infuriating.

He smiled and linked their arms together again, continuing to walk her through the grounds of the fair. He would occasionally point up to the rows of lights and explain to her the mechanics of the design; she loved this side of him, the passionate ingenious side of him. He did not bring up any more of their past dalliances, which was she was grateful for, though she was painfully aware of the heat she felt from his hand, and the way his eyes would subtly try to steal a glance at her as he talked.

Eventually he brought her to the outskirts of the fair where is tent was, it acted as his dressing room, a suitcase on a table filled with three extra suits, in case of mishaps, or just in case he spent the whole night entertaining the masses. It was certainly a commodity to have such a luxury at a fair; the dirty ground was covered by a thick carpet, there was a neatly made cot in the corner, a small rack of wine for his personal use, and a lighted vanity so he could look his best before appearing in front of the crowd. A dolled up circus dressing room was what it was, and he was the ringleader.

He escorted her to a chair, pulled out two clean wine glasses and began to pour one of the bottles of wine.

"My payment for my work here at the fair, all I asked for was my own private quarters on the fairgrounds, away from the folly," he explained, though she hadn't exactly voiced the question.

"It's very nice," she said quietly.

"It's nothing much, but it is peaceful. A good place just to sit back and have a drink with a beautiful lady," he handed her one of the glasses then sat down in the chair across from her, leaning back in it heavily and crossing one leg over the other, his hand holding the wine glass coming up to rest just by his face while the other sat comfortably on his lap.

"You flatter me, Nikola," she sighed, taking a hesitant sip from her wine.

"It's not flattery, just a simple fact, Helen, you are a very attractive woman, always have been, you'd have to be a fool not to notice it," he shrugged, taking a generous sip form his glass.

"As you keep telling me," she mentally cursed herself for bringing up that subject once again.

Nikola smiled slightly, looking at her with dangerous eyes. He didn't reply but took another sip of wine and pretended to stare off into the distance.

"It's marvelous isn't it? The lights," he gestured out the wide-open flaps of his tent to the cacophony of light coming from the fair in the distance. "I swear some nights I just sit here and stare."

Helen looked at him; almost unnerved by the way he was acting.

"What do you want, Nikola?" she asked, without thinking. She put the glass down on the small table and leaned forward as if to study him. "What is it you want from me? Why did you bring me here?"

He slowly looked at her and drank another sip.

"I want to finish what we started," the look in his eyes spoke a million words, and Helen shuddered as her mind shot back to three years ago.

_The kiss was searing hot, and he rolled them over so it was her back pressed into the cold wood floors instead of his. His hands slid up her legs to her thigh as he kissed a sloppy trail from her lips to her clavicle. Her hands grasped handfuls of hair at the back of his head, the wine and grease causing it to stick straight up on end. _

_He groaned slightly as she lifted a knee slightly, causing a friction between their bodies. Helen took the initiative and spun them around almost violently, kneeing him in the gut on the way down. He let out a breathy gasp that turned into a chuckle._

"_Oh Helen, I never knew you could be so rough," he sat up slightly. "I like it."_

"_Oh just shut up," she growled and shoved him back down._

_He went willingly this time, preventing the back of his skull from making contact with the floor. _

_The battle for dominance continued as they rolled along the floor, trying to one-up each other over and over again till their backs slammed into a wall. Nikola took this opportunity to haul her up into his arms, using his vampiric strength._

"_That is quite enough of that," he panted heavily, looking at her with a hunger she couldn't quite describe but knew was matched in her own._

_It took exactly three strides for him to get to the bed and drop her on it._

"_I have wanted to see you like this from the moment I met you Helen," he said darkly, dropping to his knees kissing her legs again, each kiss going higher and higher till they grazed the edge of his marks, the sensation bringing her hands to his hair again. He took the hint and ran his tongue along the marks, enjoying her muffled groans. This woman was maddening. He nipped at the flesh with dull human teeth at first, the slight tug at his hair an encouragement to go on. His teeth retracted half way, lightly grazing the skin of her thigh, then replaced by his tongue again, the scent of wine emanated off her skin. He heard her voice in the back of his mind, incoherent but present, and it pushed him forward, his teeth fully realized, his hand sliding closer and closer, the points just about to break through and…_

"_Nikola, stop!" she cried, sitting up, throwing him off of her slightly. He was a bit dazed at the sudden change, and looked up at her. _

_A hand came up to her head, and she scrubbed it over face._

"_I can't do this," she muttered. "I'm sorry."_

_Nikola felt his heart plummet all the way down to his shoes._

"_Helen, I," he began but she cut him off._

"_No, I-I can't do this," she waved her hand at him, scooting to the edge of the bed quickly and standing to retrieve her clothes._

"_Can't do this here…or can't do this with me?" he asked, watching her._

_Her eyes finally met his, their expression hard to read._

"_I just-I just can't," she sighed, pulling on her dress._

"_Let me help you," he sighed, and stood up, coming over to her._

"_I don't need your help, I…" she snapped, then felt instantly ashamed for the outburst, realizing he was just trying to be a gentleman about this._

_The look in his eyes floored her._

"_Helen, it's ok, I promised you a night, no strings, take it or leave it," he said simply._

_She nodded, he was right._

"_Let me help you, Helen," he turned her around so he could help her with the ties at the back._

_The tenderness of which he treated her was enough to make her burst out into tears, and he turned her around again to pull out a handkerchief and wipe them away._

"_Why are you being like this to me?" she said through her sobs. "I thought you said no strings."_

"_Yes, but you are still my friend, despite my more than friendly attraction to you, but even so, I am not so callous as to not help a friend back into her gown, or spare a handkerchief when she is crying. I promised you a long time ago that I would never treat you like a whore, and I intend to uphold that."_

"_You said no promises either," she choked, burying her face in the cloth._

"_That was before, this is now, forget all of that," he took her hands in his. "Helen, I'm sorry, I pushed you into this…"_

"_No, it's alright, I'm fine…I'm just…I don't know what's wrong with me," she looked at him with bleary eyes._

_He pulled her into a warm hug._

"_Helen, there is nothing wrong with you…you're just…there is nothing wrong with you," he sighed holding her gently._

_Again, the lust, the desire, everything he had accused her of feeling, that he had admitted he felt, it came back, slowly at first. The scent of the wine off his skin brought her nose to the crook of his neck, the sticky remnants intriguing her to kiss the skin there, gently at first then opting her to leave a wider, openmouthed kisses. She felt his body stiffen, whether with desire, or with confusion, she couldn't tell, but it only served to make her want him more._

"_Uh, Helen…what are you…"_

_She pulled away and looked at him, her eyes now hungry._

"_I want you, I can't stop!" she growled, grabbing a fistful of his undershirt and slamming him up against the wall._

_She kissed him, hungrily this time, pressing herself into him, feeling every nerve in his body firing against her touch. It was power, it was dominance; it was affection, affection she didn't know she needed until she saw it in his eyes._

_He responded quickly, hands coming up around her waist, this was more consuming than their previous activities had been, then it had been a game, now it was a need. It was her need. She needed him to give her something that had been taken away from her so abruptly that it scarred her. _

_She pulled away again, wide-eyed, fearfully, as if she'd just kissed a dragon, or something equally as large and terrifying. Her cheeks turned red, her hands fumbled in the air, and her mind raced. Nikola kept his back firmly against the wall, unsure if he should move, afraid that any movement was likely to scare her off. His breathing was labored and ragged, his hair was unruly, the look in his eyes that of unbridled passion._

_She couldn't deal with this right now, his offer was too good, too perfect. She didn't deserve such a deal in life, not from him._

_She flustered to grab her coat and hat and purse from the pile she had left them in on the floor._

_Without a word, and without looking him in the eye she ran out of the apartment, down the stairs and outside to hail a cab._

_He didn't go after her, and he knew by the time he would be able to pry himself from the wall she'd be on the next boat back to England. Away from him._

_The night rolled by in an endless haze until the sunlight streamed in, and the door opened. Rose stepped in and smiled bemusedly at him._

_My god, was it the afternoon already?_

_He looked at her and pulled himself off the wall._

"_What are you doing here?" he moved away, cleaning his apartment slowly as an excuse not to look her in the eye._

"_We had plans for lunch, remember?" she held her hands in front of her as she spoke._

"_Oh right, that," he mutered._

"_When you didn't show up I decided to come and check to see if you were left out in the dumps or still reaping the nights benefits…when I did not hear you in the throes of passion I decided to risk all and barge in, I found you against the wall," she continued, noting how he tensed ever so slightly. "Things not go well, I presume."_

"_It went fine, we had lunch, snogged a bit, then she ran like a horse on fire out of here, not much to tell…do you still want to get lunch?" he said quickly and she laughed._

"_You're deflecting, how'd it go?" she said more firmly._

"_As I said, we came close, but I said something, or she found something that scared her off…rather suddenly, it's all a bit of a blur to be honest," he shrugged._

"_So you didn't…"_

"_No, but I got close," he sighed._

"_Closer than you got before," she added._

"_Well, yes, but…"_

"_Then I'd call it a success, we should go and get lunch to celebrate," she clapped her hands and immediately marched over to his boudoir and pulled open it's doors._

"_I'm a mess," he looked down at himself with disgust. His undershirt was stretched and wrinkled, his hair was all over the place, his pants crumpled, ripped, and stained with wine._

"_I noticed," she pulled out some fresh clothes and handed them to him. "I suggest you clean up before we got out."_

_He sneered at her._

"_You're too kind," he rolled his eyes._

"_I'll start a bath for you, you smell like a wine cellar," she moved with inhuman speed to the washroom. "If you could get a fire going so I can heat up the water that would be de-lightful!"_

_He groaned, why'd she have to be here in his hour of pained misery?_

"_I don't hear you moving, Nikki, it's going to be supper time before we have you properly cleaned up and I'm afraid I have dinner plans," she came out of the washroom and leaned against the door frame._

_He looked at her._

"_Maybe we should schedule lunch for another time," he offered._

"_Ridiculous, I didn't get all dressed up for nothing, Nikki," she teased and went over to him. She placed her hands on his chest and kissed his cheek gently. "Write to her, let her know that you have no hard feelings, ask her to write you back. If she does then you won't have wasted a bottle of wine for naught, and, depending on the message she writes back, it isn't over my friend, it will take some time, but if what you're telling me is true she is on fire for you as well, she just doesn't know how to handle it, that is your way in Nikki."_

_He nodded in submission. She was right afterall; she had been right about the whole thing._

"_So, what did you have in mind for lunch?" he looked her in the eyes, for the first time since she had walked in._

"_I think we can skip lunch for now, I see you've still got some pent up…frustrations from last night's interlude…can't let them go to waste can we?" her eyes darted down for a brief second then crawled back to his with a devious grin._

"_I could use someone to help me clean myself," he shrugged nonchalantly._

"_Hmmm, agreed, so I suggest we get on that hot water," she pulled out of his arms and pushed him in the direction of the fireplace._

Nikola looked at Helen challengingly.

"You can deny it all you want but there was something in you that night, and it intrigues me," Nikola's eyes registered the way she looked down, recalling the memory of their night together. "I can offer you no strings Helen, no promises, just like before."

"Can you?" she stood up, slowly walking towards him. "You've had these feelings for quite some time now, how can you offer no strings when you clearly want more?"

"I'll take whatever you can give me, see, our Victorian upbringing has raised us with this notion that every feeling has to mean something, it doesn't. The forbidden fruit can be tasted Helen, you just have to want it enough," he took another sip from his glass, his eyes never leaving hers.

"So, if I agree to this little tryst you will be able to keep it from becoming something real?" she challenged him, moving closer.

"You know I can, I've done it before," he said confidently.

"This affair will never leave the bed?" she stood in front of him now, a sense of power she didn't know she had controlling her.

"My, Helen, you have changed in three years, haven't you?" he smirked.

"I don't want a lover, Nikola, I don't want to be courted, no gifts, no dinners, no letters, not even cuddling, I just want the physical, can you handle that?" she challenged again.

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

"I don't want another John, you understand?" she lifted her skirts up and lifted her leg up high enough to rest it on the edge of his chair, then slowly lowered herself on to his lip, letting her dress fall around her.

"Completely," his voice was strained and she liked it, she liked the power she had over him.

"If I am to accept your offer I have to know that my needs will be met, no strings, no attachments, and only on my terms," she ordered and he nodded his head.

"My offer stands, take it or leave it," he grunted slightly as she ground her hips against him, never had imagined that she would be like this. This aggressive Helen was new and different and exciting.

"Then we have an agreement, Nikola…take me," she whispered in his ear before kissing it hungrily. He snapped in to action and quickly placed the wine glass on the table and pulled the string on the flaps of the tent to give them their privacy. This moment he was going to keep for himself.

When he woke up he was lying in the cot, an empty space beside him, and he smirked when he heard her moving around the tent.

He sat up.

"Leaving so soon?" he leaned against one arm, tugging the sheets up to his chest.

"Yes," Helen spun to look at him. "As per our agreement, I have no need to stay."

"Of course, doesn't mean you have to hurry off though, we can have breakfast," she stated simply.

"I told you I don't…"

"I know what you said, you don't want to be courted, I am not trying to court you, be rest assured of that, I am merely inviting a friend out for a morning meal. Negating the previous night's activities," he shrugged and swung his legs over the bed. "We are still friends, are we not?"

Helen eyed him strangely, as if to read into some inner plan. Truth be told, he meant exactly what he was saying. If he learned anything from Rose it was that nothing had to change, it was merely different. But he was still Nikola and she was still Helen and they could continue to do whatever it was that they had done before.

She nodded her head finally.

"Alright, breakfast would be nice," she agreed.

Nikola smirked and headed over to his suitcase.

"Just give me a moment to change and then we can go," he dressed quickly into one of his clean suits, slicking his unruly hair back with a comb and then joining her at the tent entrance.

"First, you can take me back to my hotel, I did not have the luxury have having spare clothes with me this morning," she demanded.

"Even better," he smirked, she could already see the plans whirring in his mind of what they could to once they got there.

In truth, they excited her, this arrangement excited her, it was nothing like anything she'd ever been apart of before, with one of her closest friends no less. Last night had been wild, unbridled, like nothing she'd ever experienced before. It was like she wasn't herself, like he wasn't Nikola, and together - removed from themselves - came together in a way that set every nerve ending on fire.

He took her hand, not unlike any time he has ever done so before, he helped her into the cab, not unlike any gentleman would, to the public they were still friends, but behind closed doors she could have him anyway she wanted and leave right when it was over. There was a certain freedom in that, a freedom she has never really felt before. And for the first time in a long time she felt unattached, unmarked, not weighted down by anything or anyone.

It was an arrangement of sorts, but it was also a gift. He had given her a gift to be her independent self again, like she had been back in their early days at Oxford. Young, unattached, and free to cause trouble with whomever she pleased.

Somehow, she felt the trouble had already started.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

I can already see your jaws open. Yes, Magnus and Tesla in a friends with benefits agreement, be honest, you can so see it happening. Lately, I've been seeing it in the show, they've been hinting that Nikola and Helen have been more than just friends in times past. Not serious, hence the FWB tag, but you know that Nikola can't keep it like that for too long. It will be an on/off kind of thing, but I foresee it ending before the Worth Affair, but it will span at least three years, because seriously, it's a Nikola kind of number. So the next few chapters will play heavily on the fact that, yes, Nikola and Helen have slept or our sleeping with each other casually, so, fun for you guys. I hope you guys are on the same wavelength I am, at this point it's all hypothetical and me going they are hinting at something majorly, like the Chimera sneak peek, talking about something in Vienna, and the two shared a look, I'm totally thinking…yah, they made out.

I also hope this chapter clears up the confusion from last chapter…I did that on purpose as you can now presume, I wanted you guys to stew a bit with the did they, didn't they, ideas. Cause I'm loopy that way. I hope this answers all questions, and satisfies all the little mind squirrels out there.

Luckily Christmas break is upon us, and I can give you three weeks of some good steady writing, maybe finish a few stories…*ahem* vampandthebotanist! And get some more chapters written for this one and some others that I have yet to publish. But anyway, hope this wets your appetite until then, can't promise I will get a lot of writing done between now and Christmas break, theatre school is crazy!

Enjoy, Read and Review, and have a wonderful November!


	36. My Sickness, Revisited (1)

**Chapter 36 - My Sickness, Revisited (Part 1)**

_**~~~~December 1880~~~~**_

_Nikola looked at the injection mark in his arm. The sleeve was rolled up to his bicep and his other hand lightly pinched the skin so he could look at it better._

_It had nearly been two hours since his injection of the sourceblood and despite the anticipation upon taking it he found the results rather disappointing._

_There had been an initial rush, sort of like surprise hit to the body that had sent every nerve keeling with pain, but upon opening his eyes he had awoken to bleak normality. No change, not like it had been with Nigel, Nigel's transformation was instantaneous, even James was convinced that he could see his own changes due to the sourceblood. John laid down feeling rather ill, which was a sign that something in his physiology could be changing, but for Nikola there was nothing._

_He had to admit he was infuriated and a bit disappointed._

"_Nikola, squeezing it won't change the results," sighed Helen as she walked into the study, a bottle of wine in her hand. They had decided to share in the condolences as she too had been left disappointingly empty-handed._

"_It's maddening," he replied. "What are the chances that you and I are the only people in the world with no latent abnormalities?"_

_Helen let out a huff._

"_It is rather dull, isn't it?" she gracefully seated herself beside him._

"_It's not just dull, it maddening, because of all people we should be the one's with extraordinary gifts, not know-it-all Watson and the cochney brat!" Nikola scowled releasing his arm._

"_What were you hoping for, Nikola? The ability to control everybody's minds?" Helen laughed._

"_Anything but this...this is...maddening," he leaned back on the settee and pouted._

_Helen gave him a soft smile and handed him a wine glass filled with a deep red vintage._

"_Here, this will perk up your spirits," she placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly._

"_I don't see why you are so calm, Helen, you, our of all of us should be the most upset, this was your experiment, at least you should've benefited from it. How can you be so...relaxed?" he looked at her with disbelief._

"_I am upset, Nikola. But the experiment wasn't a failure, if anything we've made a great discovery this evening, you and I will just have to work harder to gain special abilities," she leaned down next to him, resting slightly against his arm._

_Nikola looked at her and gave her a soft smile._

"_Like you need any more special abilities. Your already the most intelligent and sophisticated woman in the world," he sighed._

_Helen let out a small giggle._

"_Your just saying that so I will give you more wine," she teased._

"_Is it working?" he asked will a grin._

"_Possibly," she answered cryptically and brought her own glass to her lips and sipped._

_**~~~~February 1895 - New York~~~~**_

Nikola watched with anticipation as his beloved friend, and somewhat lover, disembarked from the boat, dressed in the latest fashions, as always, and looking particularly delicious in the red gown.

He always did love her in red.

He swore she dressed like this just for him. There was a generous amount of white, creamy cleavage poking outside the front, not enough to be considered inappropriate by the victorian upper class, but just enough to be tantalizing to his wandering eye. Her long neck against the high red collar set off a striking appeal to his inner beast as well, and the matching hat barely covered her hair, leaving her flawless facial features to his viewing.

They had been planning this meeting for quite some time.

Nikola grinned as she walked off the ramp and onto the dock, a young boy, a teenager, carried her light luggage behind her. In that get up she could make the sun do loops if she had any inclination, let alone get a young hopeful to carry her bags such a meagrely short distance.

Nikola strode to meet her, catching her attention as he gracefully weaved throughout the other passengers.

"Helen...you look ravishing," he eyed her up and down appreciatively as he approached her. "Don't tell me you got all dressed up for my benefit?"

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Please, I could've worn anything and it would've been for your benefit," she sighed and he took her hand, kissing it gently.

"I'm glad you came, I was beginning to miss you, the holidays seem so long ago," he grinned, his mind flashing back to their tryst in London over his Christmas visit. It was a good thing James and Nigel were such workaholics, he had Helen mostly to himself, though he let her think she was calling the shots.

"Your not forgeting our arrangement, are you?" she eyed him and he smiled deviously.

"Heavens no," he kissed her hand again. "Our arrangement is why I asked you here in the first place, that and so you wouldn't have to waist your money on some dingy hotel."

She easily took her hand out of his grip.

"I'm also here on business, don't forget, I'm not all yours this visit," she said sternly, before turning around to the young man and handing him a coin for his troubles. "He can take them from here, my good man."

The young boy nodded and mumbled a "Thank you, ma'am," before running back to the ship.

"Now that we're alone," Nikola tugged on her arm, pulling her flush against him. "Where were we?"

He made a dive for her deliciously exposed neck, peppering it with light kisses.

"Nikola, wait...there is something I have not told you," she pushed him away.

"What?" he whined. "There is no one here to hide from."

Helen's stern expression melted into a slight blush.

"That's where you're wrong," she muttered quietly, as if trying not to be overheard.

"Helen!" called a familiar voice from ramp.

Nikola's gaze shot in the direction of the voice.

"Helen, there you are, why the devil did you get off the boat so fast?" James came jogging up behind them.

"I came to greet Nikola, didn't want him to think we'd not arrived," Helen lied easily, sharing a fleeting glance at Nikola who tried to hide the burning anger at this most unwelcome surprise.

"James and I are expanding our operations, we're looking at real estate in the hopes of acquiring a new Sanctuary. It was Father's idea, he unfortunately had to remain in London," Helen subtly tried to hint to Nikola that she was not happy with James appearance either, but they had really no other choice.

Nikola looked at her blankly for a few seconds before his brain caught up with him.

"Of course, you mentioned that in your telegram," Nikola extended a hand to his old friend. "How are you James?"

"Good," James eyed them suspiciously, his keen detective eye sensing some kind of distress between them.

"My carriage is just over here, I can take you to your hotel," Nikola said with ease, smiling at his old friends.

James relaxed slightly and smiled warmly.

"That's very generous of you, I'll go get the rest of our luggage my dear," James patted Helen's shoulder gently before walking briskly to retrieve their luggage from the docking master.

As soon as he was gone Nikola snapped his head back to Helen.

"Thank you for the warning," he scowled at her.

"I tried to tell you but you were being a tad frisky," Helen said sharply.

"Putting it in your telegram would've been a lot better, just a simple P.S. James will be arriving with me, so please keep your hands to yourself," he growled.

"It was a last minute change in plans, apparently my father still doesn't trust you...as he shoudn't," she grinned a little slyly.

He bit his lip and fumed, damn why'd she have to look so damn sexy with that smile.

"Well, this does put a bit of a hamper on my plans," he sighed.

"I only agreed to this rendezvous because I was planning to go to New York on business anyway," she explained. "You were just...a nice bonus."

Nikola huffed.

"Well, I feel used," he teased.

"Don't worry, I'll make it up to you," she whispered in his ear seductively and he instantly melted at the insinuation.

"Oh you will, will you?" he grinned.

"Tonight, my room, after dinner...James will retire up to his room for the evening after brandy, then..."

Nikola shuddered slightly. Oh she was a devilishly conniving and ingenius woman. His heart pounded slightly, like it always did around her.

Funny, it never did this around Rose. Rose was a practice run, a preparation for this woman, Helen, his Helen, by god, his younger self would be kicking himself to hear Helen speak like this to him.

"One quid for some heavy lifting, this city is outrageous," James came up to them rolling his eyes. "I can't even bear to think how much they'll ask for the building."

"Don't worry James, Father has used his connections with an old friend, the place we're looking at should be worth whatever it costs," she smiled at him.

"My, my, James, I never realized how frugal you are," Nikola teased, picking up Helen's bags as a friendly gesture, pulling out his handkerchief to wipe off the handles before gripping them in his strong hands.

"Thank you, Nikola," Helen smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes," mumbled James, "Will you be joining us for dinner tonight, old chap?"

Nikola smirked slightly.

"I actually thought I might, if the lady permits," he chanced a gaze in Helen's direction to see her reaction.

"I would be delighted," she smirked back at him.

"Excellent, you can regale us on your new inventions," added James.

The group started to move off the dock and into the busy roads of the Manhattan Harbor. Piling into the carriage and taking off to the streets of downtown New York City.

_**~~~~December 1880~~~~**_

_Nikola awoke from his sleep with a shiver, a sheen layer of sweat covered his body, and his hands trembled uncomfortably._

_He ripped off his shirt, tearing the buttons off, but they didn't matter at the moment._

_Something wasn't right._

_He climbed off the bed but his legs gave out and turned to jelly. He collapsed on to the floor, landing with a particularly loud thud on the ground. The cold floor met his cheek with a dull thud, echoing inside his brain, his vision, his hearing, his senses all blurred at once then suddenly sharpened. He heard a cat mewl in the alley two blocks away as clearly as if it were three feet in front of him, a man coughed on the street below, a train whistled in the distance, each sound was so pwerful it nearly knocked him unconscious and jarred every joint in his body, grinding out painful messages he couldn't understand._

_Nikola let out a muffled cry and used the bed post to hoist himself to his feet. He could hear his heart pumping loudly, so loudly, too loud. His hand, clutching the oak post suddenly morphed in front of his eyes, dark talons growing from his fingertips and slicing into the varnished wood. Nikola watched in horror, prying his hand from the post and stumbling back into the vanity, knocking a vase to the floor. The fire had gone out long ago but his eyes saw everything clearly. He fell to the floor again, clutching his head in pain._

"_AGH! Make it stop!" he cried. The sound of a carriage passing by shaking his already weakened foundations._

_A woman laughed and the sound was piercing, a baby cried and his stomach felt like he had just been punched in the gut. Every bone ground against the other, every vertebrae rattling as if any moment they would pop out._

_He shook on the ground, convulsing and tensing and screaming. His head pounded, his heart beat, and his blood rushed, and he heard it all, smelt it all. He could smell his fear at this transformation._

_The clock on the mantelpiece ticked and he jumped up from the ground and smashed it, clutching his head in pain. The wind coming from his open window rustled the curtains and he ran over tearing them from the bar and slamming the window shut and locking it._

_He continued to sweat and tremble. He looked down at his hands again and they morphed into hideous claws. He whimpered and tore at the bed sheets to be rid of them. He heard James talking in his study across the Sanctuary, every word, clear as day, he could hear the way his mustache ruffled as he stroked it in thought. He heard Helen in her study, the sound of her china teacup clinking against it's saucer._

_He cried out again, all the noise was unbearable._

_He collapsed to his knees slithering on the floor. He tried to crawl his way to the bathroom, hoping to drown out the sounds underwater. Again he convulsed, causing him to fall to his side with a loud thud. He heard voices, so many voices, saying things he didn't understand, talking to people he didn't know but he could hear them all, a cacophony of voices and sounds, whispers and shouts, drowning his ears in noise and reverberating through every inch of him._

_The long talons grew out of his fingers again and clawed aginst the rug, shredding it instantly, Nikola felt his eyes being forced open by some invisible force, tugging them to their widest, his mouth opening of it's own free will letting out a feral snarl as hit teeth grew bigger, cutting his lip, he tasted the blood, like a jolt of adrenaline, punching it's way through his tongue and down his throat. A roar like that of a wild animal escaping his lips. Then collapsing again, his hands turning back to human fingers his eyes opened in a panic._

_He brought a hand to the cut on his lip, but it was gone, it was all gone like it was some kind of hallucination. He whimpered again, scrambling to the bathroom, he got to the mall basin in front of the mirror, taking the pitcher in his shaky hands and managing to pour it into the basin before dropping it to the ground and splashing the cold water on to his face._

_The water seemed to settle him for a brief moment. He panted, his hands bracing themselves on the counter holding him up._

_His heart still pounded but it's volume had decreased significantly. He breathed, trying to still the panic in his chest._

_He looked at himself in the mirror. He was pale, ghostly pale, with dark rings around his eyes, there was a dribble of blood on his chin now diluded and dripping off in big pink droplets but there was not cut, his hands were normal, his face was normal, everything was normal, but oh so wrong._

_He sucked in another breath, sputtering the remaining water, then bringing a hand up to scrub it over his wet face. He has had strange attacks before but never like this, he used to have them all the time as a child, his mother used to sing to him when they would happen. The first one happened on the evening of the day his brother Dane had died, he could remember his mothers frightened tears as he shook uncontrollably in her arms that night. His father prayed silently in the corner, believing that his son had become host to a powerful demon, and his sisters watched from the doorway holding candles. He could still hear his mother's voice singing softly to him. _

_Still, it had never been this bad, never like this. _

_He looked at his hands again, turning the over, palm up, palm down, trying to piece together what had caused them to turn into such monstrous things. Was it the sourceblood? It had to be._

_Suddenly he heard the sound of a drop of water hitting the floor, magnified a thousand times to hit his ears like an explosion. He cried out in pain again, then looked at his hand, watching it morph and pale, causing a shiver to crawl up his arm and into his entire body._

"_NAGH!" he cried and slammed his hand into the mirror shattering the glass, the panic rising again, he desperately tried to clench his hand to control whatever transformation was happening to it, feeling it spread like a poison to the rest of him._

_He again felt the invisible force, ripping a silent cry from his throat and his, and in this he managed to see himself in the shattered glass of the mirror. The sight terrified him, he flet his own blood trickling down his arm, he could smell it, coming from his palm where the black talons cut into his skin. He looked into dead eyes. He did not see himself in the mirror's reflection, he saw a monster. Black soulless eyes, long deadly fangs, cold, clammy skin...a monster...his monster._

"_Wh-What is...h-happening...t-to me?" he choked out, his voice not his own, but something dark and unnatural._

_He backed away from the image, his back slamming against the wall, something akin to frightful tears leaking from his eyes._

_Then he heard her, softly, she was humming. A lullaby from her childhood, maybe? He got lost in the sound, closing his eyes and imagining her. Her hair let down in a cascade of blonde curls, her baby blues hidden behind lidded eyes, as she walked rhythmically to the music she was creating. He could her her soft footfalls against the hardwood floor, a small tapping, serving as percussion to her humming. Her voice was soft, she was humming to herself, she always did that when she daydreamed. He felt a weak smile break from his face, the monster slowly crawling back inside. The pain in his hand dissipated and he felt his body relax, the convulsions and trembling soothing into a dull throb. The sweat cooled off his brow and began to chill, but not even that bothered him as he listened to her. His angel. Helen. His sweet, beautiful Helen, untouched, unharmed, untainted; pure and angelic._

_His eyes snapped open suddenly._

_She was walking this way, no doubt to look in on him, he had been feeling under the weather for the past few days now and god knows how long he had been crawling on the floor and writhing in pain. He couldn't even remember if tis was the first time it happened._

_She couldn't see him like this, it would no doubt frighten her, he had to leave, at least until this illness passed, till he returned to normal._

_He pushed himself off the wall, ripping off his ruined shirt and using it to wipe off his bloody arm and sweaty torso._

_Running the rest of the water across his face and wipping it dry he shoved the stained shirt underneath the stand and pulled out some fresh clothes from the armoir to change into. He didn't bother to put on a cravat or fix his hair, Helen was coming closer and he had to get out of there._

_Grabbing the basin of dirty water he ran to the window and dumped out it's contents before shutting the window again and replacing the basin to it's stand. Then he searched frantically around for his bag to throw his remain clothing inside. Having found it by the desk, he gripped it tightly by the handle and threw open the armoir but was stopped by a knocking at his door._

_In his panic he rushed to the bathroom, shutting himself inside. She couldn't see him like this, not right now, he was dangerous...that creature was dangerous and he could hurt her in his uncontrolled state. He would never forgive himself if he did._

_He clutched the bag to his chest, panting heavily._

"_Nikola?" she heard him calling for him._

_He needed to get out._

_He heard her come in, her steps tentative and careful. She could sense something was wrong with him. He looked down underneath the stand and saw his wet and bloody shirt, another panic rising in him. He mved quickly, trying to not make noise but the trembling in his hands was returning and he only just managed to get the shirt inside his bag and move away from the door when she came in._

_Her eyes widened upon seeing him, seeing his distress._

"_Nikola, what's wrong?" his head snapped to her. She was beautiful as always. He could smell her, hear her blood moving through her veins, her heartbeating in her chest. Each sound hit him in his gut._

"_Nothing! It's nothing!" he said quickly, trying to control himself. He ran a hand through his damp hair._

"_You look feverish, are you feeling well?" she took a step closer to him and the smells and sounds intensified. Her hand touched his and she gasped at how cold his skin was. The touch itself stirred him, he felt the monster moving inside him and he moved away sharply, moving past her quickly to his armoir to shove whatever he could into his bag. He had to get out before he hurt her, before she found out what was becoming of him and fled him._

"_Are you going somewhere?" she followed him and he tensed, wishing her to leave._

"_Can't stay here...for now...it's hard to explain, Helen," he swallowed dryly. "Just...just trust me, I'll be back, but I have to leave," he silently pleaded she would accept his explanation._

"_Have you done something?" she stayed where she was, no doubt her eyes were on him, he could hear the concern in her voice, and the subtle way her heart picked up it's pace, she was already scared, wait till she saw the true terror behind her friend._

"_No, it's nothing!" he barked at her, more desperate to get out than ever. Desperate to not have her see the monster. He was sweating, by god, he was sweating, and he wiped his forehead in a desperate to cover up that fact._

"_You're sick, you shouldn't leave," she stepped closer to him. "Let's go down to the lab, James can run some tests, we can figure out what's wrong."_

_He moved away from her again, trying to make a desperate scramble for the door._

"_No, can't do that!" his voice was high and panicky and he pleaded for her to let him go. "I just have to leave."_

_She moved around him and blocked his path, making him groan._

"_Not until you tell me why," she said more forcively._

"_I can't, I just...can't stay here right now," he pleaded, he begged for her to let him go._

"_Is it me, Nikola?" she looked hurt and he felt that twinge in his heart. She thought he was abandoning her, running away from her, but no, he was protecting her, protecting her from that monster in the mirror._

"_Of course not," he softened slightly. "It's not any of you, it's me. I just have to leave and I can't tell you why," he scrubbed a hand over his face but was suddenly frozen when he felt her hands on his cheeks, forcing his gaze to hers. Every muscle in him weakened. She smelt...he couldn't even describe it, it was in her blood, in her skin, in her hair, it was her. His instinct cried out to...to do something...to taste it, to possess it, to possess her._

"_Please, stay," she half-whispered to him, he almost melted right there. Again he felt the monster stirring and he struggled to break away from her grip._

"_I can't" he sobbed. "I need to go...please, let me go, Helen."_

_He whimpered and she seemed to listen to his plea._

"_Stay," she wouldn't give up and his plea melted into frustration and anger, his desperation, skyrocketing. If he stayed any longer he would hurt her, he knew it, he had to get out._

_She took his hand and he squirmed to try and release it. She wasn't going to make this easy for him, she never would._

"_I can't bear you to leave right now, I need you," she begged and he growled in his throat._

"_Stop trying to guilt me, I am not your father, NOW LET ME GO!" he shouted at her, yanking his hand out of her grip and pushing her roughly to the side and running as fast as he could to get outside, to get away, as far away as he could so he couldn't hurt her. A carriage rolled by and he hailed it, climbing quickly into it._

"_Where to sir?" asked the driver._

"_Any where, please, just go quickly," he said and the man nodded, no questions asked as Nikola sank into his seat and sobbed silently._

_What had the sourceblood done to him? _

_In all his life he had never been so scared of anything...especially himself._

_**~~~~February 1895~~~~**_

Nikola awoke with a start.

At first he was disoriented, he didn't recognize the room, and for a brief moment, forgot where he was and who he was with, then he heard her sigh sleepily beside him. The moonlight shone against the length of her bare back and Nikola sighed.

It all came back to him. He grinned slightly.

He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her shoulder.

When he sat up again he scrubbed a hand over his face. His nightmares were getting worse, so vivid, reminding him of his initial transformation to his now welcomed form. Knowledge was definitely humanities friend. Once he learned what he'd become and how to control it he saw it's benefits, to society and to his work. But that was only until he learned that he was Sanguine Vampiris, not a monster as he had originally believed.

That day had changed everything for him, set him apart from everyone and everything he had built up until then. He sensed it from the others, their mistrust of him, their fear; even Helen had held him at an arm's length. She ran to John, afraid of the monster, Nikola had run to Budapest to escape the fear, the uncertainty. Budapest allowed him to return to some state of normalcy. He worked with others, took his medication diligently, and dreamt of the day he would return to his Helen to show her the control he had gained over his powers, then everything would return to normal.

How wrong he'd been.

He got up off the bed and made his way to the hotel powder room to splash some water over his face, his mind still on his dreams.

He remembered his Christmas visit that year, a test run, he still berated himself for using her like that, but he was young, and she was all he desired at the time, she still was, but his control wasn't strong enough then and he slipped. She had tasted so good, and had done it so willingly, it was hard to regret it.

But by the time he had gained full control over himself and his powers, she had run to John's arms. He had dashed her hopes and crushed her spirits for too long and she sought the comfort she needed from him. Probably like he had planned. He had never shown his true spots to her, but he saw the maniac long before the first whore had been slaughtered.

Then, not only had he been replaced in her heart, but forgotten completely, except for as a friend. All those stolen moments in Oxford, the hopeful dreams, gone.

He blamed it on the vampire, the sickness.

He should've given up then, but he was in love. Hopelessly so.

He still was.

He looked back at her sleeping in the bed.

Two years of stolen moments, secret moments. Having her physically behind closed doors and secret meetings. Easily, he could forget her promise to another man, her distrust in his innocense at Whitechapel, and her accusing him of causing John's plight.

She was his in these moments.

He watched as she shifted in her sleep.

She was seduction incarnate, passion in it's purest form.

He thought of her more than their arrangement should allow, every second thought was graced with a reminder of a fleeting touch of her skin, the heat from her kisses, a sigh or a moan escaping from her lips under his ministrations. Their trysts over the years, though few compared to his short time with Rose, were more than he could dream for. They always managed to arrange a meeting somewhere, at her Sanctuary, at his apartment, someplace in the middle. Whenever she had frustrations she needed to get out with a rather exhilarating romp, he came at her beck' and call, ready to help. The times inbetween he would wait, patiently, occupying himself with his work, or with brandy's with friends. His good friends Robert and Katharine Johnson were always eager to distract him for an evening, especially Katharine.

Nikola smirked.

Intelligent women were much more seductive than ditty little girls looking for a man on their arm. Intelligent, independent women knew what they wanted, how long they wanted it for, and who they wanted it from. Katharine started off friendly enough, and though he would never breach such a trust with his good friend, he was still a gentleman, afterall, but he'd be lying if her attempts hadn't been...interesting.

Before Rose he hadn't even noticed all her signals, Rose had opened his eyes to the sex-driven pulse to this world. People were driven by desire, he, even more so because of his vampiric tendencies. He could smell people, hear their heart skip when an object they desired walked into the room, he was now on constant alert. But Helen was all he ever wanted, despite this advantage. Helen wanted him in a very instinctual way, while he wanted her entirely, he would never admit it to her face, but he was more in love with her now than he was before, but if he even breathed a word of deeper emotion she would leave him and he would have none of her.

He ran a hand through his messy hair.

He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, taking his trousers off the floor, shaking the wrinkles out before sliding them on. His mind still thought about the amusing prospect of his friend Katharine. A sweet woman, intelligent, married to a romantic, a poet, old-fashioned and comfortable.

He remembered the last time he had been in her company.

Everything had been perfectly normal. She had offered him tea, gracefully moving in and out of the kitchen fetching biscuits and cream, as any good hostess would. Robert had looped him into a conversation about poetry. He always called Robert by the nickname he had given him, Luka Fillipov, it had become a bit of an inside joke between the three of them.

Robert excused himself to find a poetry book in his study to show Nikola an interesting sonnet he had come across. In this brief reprieve Katharine had all but thrown herself at him, asking him for help in the kitchen. He had gone to her aid, finding her standing on the counter, a bowl of sugar in her hand.

"_I'm afraid I'm stuck,"_ she sighed with a small smile._ "Will you help me down, Nikki?"_

Ever the gentleman he agreed, gently and cautiously gripping her hips to gingerly lower her to the floor. He made every effort to hold her away while she made every effort to slide the length of her entire body against him. She was tantalizingly clever.

"_There you are," _he decided to ignore it and smiled at her softly._ "I'll take the sugar in for you."_

She held the bowl away from him, causing him to have to reach for it. He laughed slightly, reaching his long arm to grab it, but then fell into her trap as her lips captured his and held him there for a tense, lustful second before he managed to pull himself away with a gasp.

"_Mrs. Fillipov!" _he admonished using her pet name._ "What are you doing?"_

She gave him a slight grin.

"_Having some fun, Nikki,"_ she teased, nipping at his earlobe lightly.

He shuddered but backed away from her.

"_I can see that, but you and I both know you are a very happily married woman,"_ he held his hands out in front of him to hold her off.

"_Haven't you ever wanted to live a little, Nikki?" _she asked. _"I have never broken a rule in my life, and I never wanted to until I met you."_

Nikola felt a tad flustered, he had never heard her speak like this, ever.

"_Of course, you know what I'm talking about, Nikki. You and that actress. I saw how you two sneaked off into the dark corridors at our Christmas Party, you tried to cover it up when you returned but I knew,"_ she teased darkly.

Nikola still resisted her.

"_Me and Rose are-"_

"_Just friends,"_ her grin became more devious. _"Last time I checked we were just friends as well Nikki."_

"_But Luka..."_

"_Robert doesn't have to know. Just this once Nikki, one time to live on the wild side, outside of the rules,"_ she took his hand and pressed it roughly into her petticoats, dangerously close to the apex of her thighs. _"Touch me, Nikki."_

Her haughty whisper was almost enough to undo his resolve.

Then the door to the kitchen swung open and Nikola had moved away from her, thankful for the interruption.

"_Ah, there you are,"_ smiled Robert, holding the book in his hands. _"Found the book I was looking for, oddest place though."_

Nikola chanced a sideglance over to Katharine who leered back.

"_Good...I was just...helping the lady," _Nikola said smoothly.

"_Yes, I had foolishly climbed up on the cabinets for the sugar bowl and found myself trapped between a rock and a hard place,"_ Nikola could feel the insinuation aimed directly at the back of his head. _"Nikki here was kind enough to help me down."_

"_What are good friends for?"_ smirked Robert.

"_Yes, what are good __**friends**__ for?"_ Nikola put significant emphasis on the word friends.

"_So, shall I show you the poem?"_ Robert gestured to the sitting room.

Nikola's growing uncomfortability made the offer rather unpleasant, it made being in this household rather awkward at this moment.

"_Actually, Luka, I just remembered, I think I left the gas on in my lab, better be safe than sorry, right?" _he smiled at his friend.

"_Of course, wouldn't want your work to be destroyed,"_ Robert nodded his head in understanding. _"You will still join us for dinner on the 18th, right?"_

"_Wouldn't miss it for a lab fire, I'll see you then," _Nikola darted out of the house at Lexington Avenue in Manhattan as fast as humanly possible.

Nikola found his shirt and slid his arms into it, leaving the front buttons undone. Helen shifted beside him.

"Hey," she mumbled, her eyes blinking slightly.

"Hey," he responded, finding his socks and tugging them on.

"Where are you off to?" Helen murmured sleepily.

"It's nearly three a.m, I thought I should leave before sunrise," he tugged on the other sock befre standing up to search for his shoes.

She held the covers of the bed around her body as she sat up.

"Oh, of course," she nodded. "This would be rather difficult to explain to James."

Nikola let out a dry chuckle.

"Not to mention he would not hesitate in tossing me from the balcony," teased Nikola.

"James won't do that...if anything he'll frame you for theft and find a dark cold cell in Scotland Yard for you to rot," she said nonchalantly.

"Oh, a much better outcome," he grinned finding one of his shoes and putting it on.

Helen grabbed her robe from the bedside table and covered herself quickly, flicking a match to turn the lamp on.

"I must admit I'm a little disappointed seeing you leave so soon," she said moving towards him.

Her words caused him to freeze and he looked up.

"Helen, are you asking me to stay?" he grinned cheekily.

"Not overnight...just...for a little while longer," she stepped up to him and kissed him. "I don't think I'm done with you yet."

Nikola growled in approval.

"Helen, you know I like it when you talk like that," he whispered huskily.

"I also know what else you like," she said before nipping at his ear and he let out a strained groan.

He chuckled, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

"You do, do you?" he smirked as she gripped him by the lapels of his unbuttoned shirt and dragged him over to the bed with a flirtatious giggle.

_**~~~~December 1880~~~~**_

_The room screamed in his ears and he let out a cry as he covered his ears with the palm of his hands to drown out the bone rattling noise._

_He had barely gotten to Oxford and inside his room at the Inn before the attack started again. _

_The room lay in shambles as he fought to control what was happening to him. He had clawed up the sheets, broken the vases, thrown one or more of his shirts into the fire place and flipped up and tore at the mattress in his agony._

_A knock at the door, nearly shaking his bones off their joints roused him from his corner of the room._

"_Sir? Is everything alright in there?" the voice of the little old landlady said through the door._

"_Agh!" he groaned. "Don't disturb me!"_

_He slithered on the ground, still trying to drown out all the noise._

"_You sound like you're in distress?" she asked._

"_I'm fine! Just leave me in peace!" she shouted loudly, throwing a vase at the door. It shattered upon impact and he heard the poor woman gasp._

"_Alright, sir," she scurried back down the stairs._

_Nikola whimpered and flipped onto his back on the now ruined carpet. His bare chest heaved. He had torn off his clothes down to his shorts, every rustling they had made had nearly crushed him. He was hot and cold at the same time, the sweat in his body both perspiring and cooling simultaneously, leaving him in a constant shiver._

_Nikola held his hands above him watching as the color drained from the finger tips down and morphing into a monster's claws. Like a wave the monster rippled through him, causing a feral snarl to escape past the brutal fangs and dead eyes, a pang in his gut as part of him wanted to run and part of him wanted to scream._

_He rippled back to normal, still crying._

"_S-stop! Please," he prayed in Serbian to whatever god that would listen to his pleas. "Agh! Make it stop!"_

_He flipped on to his stomach and scurried back into his corner. _

_The curtain were drawn and their bottoms shredded, feathers from the pillows lay scattered across the floor. Nikola whimpered, then sobbed, covering his head with his hands and crawling into the fetal position, continuing to mutter in his foreign language._

_He heard voices._

"_Ms. Magnus, I didn't know who to call...he arrived nearly four days ago looking like death itself...till last night he's been making the most frightful noises..."_

"_Nikola? It's Helen...let me in."_

_Nikola smelt her from where he was, her perfume, her hair, her blood, it was all rich and intoxicating...and he was hungry. His eyes widened and shook his head._

"_Helen? No!" he cried. "Go away!"_

_He crawled out of his corner to find something to prop against the door but he felt suddenly light-headed._

"_Nikola! What is going on in there?" _

"_Nothing! Just go away!" he winced before stumbling to the ground , breaking another item in the process._

_He heard the handle turn and he scrambled to find his corner but he was weakened and his limbs refused to work so he managed to scramble hiself into a protective ball, whimpering the lyrics to the lullaby is mother used to sing to him, so softly it was almost unintelligible._

_He heard her come in, her footfalls near ground breaking to his body._

"_God, Nikola, what happened?"_

_Her hand touched his body, creating a rather soothing affect on him. He felt the pain and trembling dissipate underneath her warm touch._

_Her voice hit her ears like the cooing of a dove, soft and genteel._

"_Nikola...is there anything I can do to help?...Tell me what's wrong."_

_The trembling had stopped and his mind had a moment of clarity._

"_I'm changing Helen, I'm changing into something and I can't stop...it's that blood, whatever it does...it's doing this to me."_

_She said something but it was drowned out by a ringing in his ears and a sound of a cat toppling over a trash can, and guy flipping a coin at a wench in the pub, a cough down the street, a dress ruffling as it was being pushed aside, cooked meat being ripped from it's bone, a creaking of a bed as two lovers danced upon it..._

"_Is your body rejecting the blood?"_

_He sat up and moved away from her. He could feel it happening again, she was in danger, his beloved Helen...he would hurt her...devour her...the monster would he knew it._

"_I don't think so, Helen...I want you to leave, leave me now please!" the panic was rising as he clenched his fists to hold back the long freakish talons._

"_Nikola, I'm here to help, let me!"_

_He slid even more frantically away from her. Hiding his head from her as he felt the beginnings of a transformation._

"_You cannot help!" his voice was already beginning to change and he made a mad dash to his corner as if it had an invisible forcefield around it keeping her safely away from him._

_She followed, getting closer. Her heartbeat sped up, her blood rushed, and he could hear it, taunting him._

"_Just leave!" he shouted at her, desperately._

"_I won't! Not when you're like this!"_

"_Please, I don't want to hurt you," he whimpered, clenching his hand even tighter, trying to stop the change._

_Suddenly her soft hands held his._

_He felt close she was, he pushed his face even futher into the corner, feeling the fangs extrude as her heat crawled up his skin._

"_You won't" she said softly._

"_How can you say that when I look like this!" he snapped his head to look at her. Fully transformed again._

_He saw the fear in her eyes as she shot back, the pain of it all hitting like a bullet to the heart._

"_What are you Nikola?" she gulped._

"_I...I'M A MONSTER!" he roared, pushing past her and taking a desperate leap out the window._

_**~~~~February 1895~~~~**_

"Helen, you decent?" James knocked at the door and Nikola shot awake.

"Crap," he muttered.

Helen shot up moments later, clutching the covers to her chest.

They looked at each other for a brief second, noticing their naked states before Helen pushed him.

Hide," she whispered. "Just a moment, James!" she called, grabbing her robe from the floor and running to fetch her nightgown out of her suitcase and slip it on quickly. Nikola was diligent in trying to hide any evidence of his presence in this room and shove it under the bed with him.

Helen quickly ran to the bathroom grabbing a towel, dipping it in the basin and running it through her hair to dampen it before tossing it in the tub and pouring the rest of the water from the basin throughly around the the bottom of the tub before refilling the basin again and then double checking the room to make sure nothing was out of place before calming herself down and answering the door.

"James, sorry for the wait...I was in the bathroom," she welcomed him in.

"Did you sleep in?" he looked at her quizzically. "You're usually so impeccable, my dear."

"A little...Nikola managed to keep me up later than I had intended," she moved behind the separator and began to change. James turned around respectively. This was not the first time they've have a conversation in her dressing room.

"Have a few extra drinks with him, I assume," he chided her playfully.

"Only the one, but we did a lot of talking," Helen was glad she was behind the the sheen

board, or the blush on her face would've given her away instantly.

"Is he joining us?" asked James.

"No, though he said he may join us for dinner again," she lied easily, fitting herself into her dress. "James, darling, could you help me do up these straps?"

James turned around and walked over to the blinder, and as gentlemanly as possible, did up the laces on her corset.

"You sounded a bit scrambled this morning when I knocked," he changed the subject.

"Well, I wasn't expecting you so soon, I was only half-dressed, I was merely surprised," Helen fought to keep her voice even.

"At what time did Nikola leave?" James changed the subject again, she knew his routine, he always did this when he felt she wasn't being completely honest. He asked a string of unconnected questions to try and throw her off, but she was quickly becoming a master at giving him absolutely nothing to go on.

"Late," she shrugged. "Must've been close to midnight, maybe later when we finally said goodnight."

"Is the parlor even open that late?" he asked.

"I don't know, we left after the one drink to get some fresh air, the cigar smoke was going a bit to my head," she answered expertly.

"Where'd you go?" he prodded gently.

"For a walk," she answered simply. "Am I under some kind of investigation, James?"

James finished tying her corset.

"No, it's just a bad habit," he moved away so she could have some privacy to continue dressing. "Our meeting is in a half hour though, normally we'd be in the car by now," he added.

"And I apologize, I had no intention of sleeping in so late," she let out a slight huff.

He sniffed the air.

"Was Nikola in your room by any chance?" he asked.

"Why?" Helen froze slightly.

"I smell the familiar scent of an aged red, possibly Bordeux," he sniffed the air once more.

"Nikola and I, may have shared a glass or two," she sighed coming out from behind the blinder all dressed.

"Did you finish it?" he eyed her suspiciously.

"No," she rolled her eyes.

"Then where is the bottle?" he inqueried.

"Fine," she huffed like he had drawn the secret from her. She moved to the side of the bed and leaned down, gesturing for Nikola to hand her the bottle. He did so without question. "Here, only half drunk, like I said...and it was a Merlot, not a Bordeaux."

"Why were you trying to hide it from me?" James laughed, taking the bottle from her and examining it.

"I know how exceedingly brotherly you get when I drink with company in the privacy of my bed chambers, I just wanted to skip the lecture for the morning...I have a headache," she brought a hand up to her temple and rubbed it absently.

James smiled and leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"I'll save it for later, I'm just glad he didn't take advantage of you," James teased.

"It's Nikola, he would never...do something like that...you know that," Helen crossed her arms.

"I know, are you ready?" he decided to drop the matter.

"Almost, why don't you hail a cab, I'll meet you in the lobby," she suggested.

He nodded and curtly turned on his heel and left.

Nikola waited till he heard the click of the door locking before rolling out from under the bed.

"That was..." he began to say.

"Close...to close," Helen finished for him.

"This time it was not my fault, you were the one who wanted me to stay," he said defensively.

"I know," Helen sighed.

"You did excellent by the way," he smirked, yanking on his trousers before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"What? Just now, or earlier?" she looked at him inquisitively.

"Both," he answered with a sly grin.

He pressed a kiss gently against the skin of her neck, then dipping down to place an even lighter one near the peak of her cleavage.

"I'm assuming that what you said to James...about me joining you for dinner was a passing invitation for my stay tonight?" he pressed another kiss near her clavical.

"If you think you can actually make it out of here without having to sneak out with maid service," she teased.

"I think I'll manage," he chuckled. "You could always come down to 5th Avenue. Get a tour of the lab, I'm sure you'd find some of my inventions very...riveting."

Helen smirked.

"Sounds interesting...maybe I will pop by later," she grinned deviously and gave him one last teasing kiss before pushing him aside. "If I give you the spare key, will you know how to use it."

"Helen, I am a genius," he said indignantly.

She handed him the key.

"If somehow James manages to detain you," she moved to the door. "See you later, Nikola."

**_~~~~Author's Notes~~~~_**

****Wow, I write alot.

Ok so this was an interesting concept, I was looking over the previous chapters and came across the Two-Part chapter segment December Sickness 1+2. Few things I noted...A...I need to fix a few things...I'll do that when I'm back to home base, no worries! And B: It would be really interesting to see Nikola's point of view of the whole transformation. So that was really the starting platform to this segment. So important things to note, in real time it 1895, two years into Nikola and Helen's FWB arrangement. As mentioned in the fic, although it's been two years they haven't met up a lot in that time, a few trysts at christmas, a romantic rendezvous in a little Inn possibly to blow off some steam. This is the first real sort of "planned" thing that they've decided to do.

Nikola is starting to fall in love again, as you can tell, which is why he's having nightmares...that'll make more sense later, promise.

Little thing about that whole little story about the Johnson's, i fell like i must explain myself before all the history buff's come knocking at my PM going, dude, Katharine Johnson ain't like that...I detest you making her into some kind of desperate housewife...but if you'll just let me explain. I read this story...it was about Tesla...the real Tesla...though the author did mention something about him being a vampire..I snickered. It's called The Invention of Everything Else, it's quite accurate despite the supporting characters around it are fictionalized, but there was this one part with Nikola and Katharine Johnson (yes she is a real person, I did my homework) and in reading it I just got this sense of something between them that was more...or there was a desire for more but neither would make the move because of Robert...a silly impression I know but I just had to play with it...it's so fun. I looked her up, hoping to get some more information on her...so what you see is what I got...there wasn't much. So hopefully you enjoy it.

Oh the whole thing, another idea I kind of twisted from the real guy's life, he had this condition where he thought he heard sounds amplified...it all surrounded the idea of radio waves...I have no idea what it's called...but I decided to twist that and make it into a symptom...quite proud of myself for that :P But if you look it up he actually believed he could hear a train whistle from far away and that it rattled his entire body...the guy was nuts...guess we're the squirrels (ha ha).

Alright...I should go to bed now but leave me some reviews and I may give you more answers :P or more questions...maybe i'll just give you a nice Nikola-coated headache...(take two aspirin, down it with some Chardonnay and have a Nikola cookie you'll be fine).


	37. My Sickness, Revisited (2)

**Chapter 37 - My Sickness, Revisited (Part 2)**

_**~~~~December 1880~~~~**_

_Nikola heard her coming and he shivered, clutching his arms around himself trying to hold in whatever warmth he could._

_She stopped, probably watching him, pitying him. He growled slightly but continued to rock himself and pray, hoping she would just stay there and let him be._

_Of course, she wouldn't._

_She continued to move towards him, footsteps muffled by the grass, but he could hear the way her dress dragged along the ground._

_He continued to shiver._

_She sat beside him, thinking about reaching out to him but hesitating._

_She was afraid of him, they all were._

"_Nikola," she said softly and he looked up at her from his hunched state. "Nikola you must be freezing."_

"_Clothes were...uh...making too much noise," he muttered, holding himself tighter. Why couldn't he retain any heat._

_All he left on were his shorts again. This was the third time he had escaped, he didn't like being in the Sanctuary, especially during his attacks, all the other abnormals made too much noise, too many sounds._

"_I was just trying to find some quiet," he muttered again._

_He looked around, he nearly forgot how he got here. It was not London, this was the farthest had had ran in one night._

_It was a park, a peaceful, birdless garden in the dead of winter, but there was no snow, only a slight chill and no breeze._

"_How did you find me?" he asked._

_Helen put a hand on his trembling shoulder, offering a fraction of warmth to his chilled skin._

"_Nigel can be quite handy when he wants to be...you and him have been tinkering together to find a way to search for you when you get hit with these attacks...don't you remember?" she pulled off her coat and gently draped it over him and he tugged the edges tighter around him._

"_N-no...s'hard to think," he mumbled._

"_You said it was similar to the principles of a telephone, we strapped a receiver to your leg, when you broke out we called it and followed it's signal...that was before you ripped it off," she smiled weakly but it faded instantly. "It wasn't easy...but we're here to take you home now, Nikola."_

_He nodded, looking up at her face. He was so pale, it frightened her._

"_D-did I...did I hurt anyone?" he asked, she could tell by his tone he was terrified to know the answer, maybe he instinctually knew but didn't want to admit it._

"_Let's just get you home first," she said dismissively, trying to help him to his feet._

"_Helen, please...tell me...did I hurt anyone?" he said more sternly and she sighed._

"_Just one...we took her body to the morgue, James is already working with Scotland Yard to cover the case...it shouldn't fall back to you," she tried to say encouragingly, knowing that was not why he had asked._

_He ran a hand through his hair and groaned._

"_No, I..." he whimpered sitting back down and dropping his face in his hands. "I don't deserve this...I never wanted to hurt her! Or hurt anybody!"_

_Helen tensed at his sharp tone._

"_Nikola...you're a vampire...a new one. You have yet to train yourself, you've barely had any time to adjust, these things take time Nikola. Once you understand what you've become you will begin to see the benefits instead of the curses," she offered logically._

"_Helen, I have been like this for weeks, all I have served to do in that time is harm innocent people, there is no blessing in this!" he cried._

"_It's the need for blood Nikola, you can't hold it in, you can't control it...not yet, but we're working on it. You, me, James, Nigel, all of us! We won't rest until we find a cure for your bloodlust. We've already made significant progress with my father's research...just give us time."_

"_I don't want time! I just want to be rid of it!" he barked, jumping to his feet and pacing madly, abandoning her coat on the bench. "I want my life back! I want this nightmare to end!"_

"_Nikola, please don't try to kill yourself again, I couldn't bear it," she stood up. She shuddered at the memory of him taking a jump off the roof, impaling himself on the iron fence surrounding the Sanctuary. It had almost killed her in that brief time, as the others pulled him off the grating and on to the rain-soaked grass as she stood their crying, her head on John's shoulder._

_She thanked God when Nikola sprung back to life almost seconds after being placed on the ground. Then, he and Nigel had expeimented with his healing capabilities, and it was almost like having the old Nikola back as he discovered he was indestructible. Then the attack had happened throwing him into another depression. Then he learned of his increased strength and speed capabilities, another round of experiments and tests, almost seeing the silver lining, and then he had another attack, worse than the last one. Three people, sucked dry, two men and a young girl, no more than 16. This had thrown him into despair, locking himself into his room with a bottle of wine only to discover that the alcohol no longer affected him and he smashed one of her windows in his distress. At that point she had come to the conclusion that it was his bloodlust that was causing these near-violent attacks. Since Nikola was unaccustomed to them they hit him worse than they probably would've to a full vampire, and part of it could have been due to Nikola's lack of control over the changes. She and James began to run more tests, using different types of plasma and other supplements, researching for hours on Sanguine Vampiris, even her father had helped them in their search for answers, but it wasn't happening quick enough. Soon, this had happened, and as she looked at her old friend, seeing the fear reflected in his eyes._

"_I'm sorry, Helen...I just don't know what to do?" he broke down, dropping his head in his hands, his shoulder slumped. "No matter what I do I will always end up hurting someone...I almost hurt you...oh god," he sobbed._

"_Nikola," she moved towards him. "We will fix this, I promise."_

_He nodded._

"_I hope so, Helen," he sighed, smelling her blood from how close she was. "I never want to hurt you again."_

_**~~~~March 13 1895~~~~**_

"You know, I'm really beginning to enjoy your visits."

Helen laughed melodiously beneath Nikola.

"Oh, and you you didn't so before," she teased.

He loved these moments after their physical activities, the recovery times as he liked to call them.

Nikola lay on his side, one arm draped across Helen, who lay on her back, her head using the bicep of his arm as a pillow. He held his head up with that same arm as his fingers traced absent designs on the skin of her abdomen. They were cuddled close together, body against body. It was warm and comfortable and oddly reminiscent of their earlier Oxford days.

"You know what I mean, Helen," he grinned. "With your father's new Sanctuary on my turf I get to see you almost nightly," he dipped his head to her clavical. "I just realized that I like the distraction."

Helen grinned.

"Yes, without me you'd never get any sleep at all," she teased.

"I still don't," he chuckled dryly.

"Still having nightmares," her tone switched to be slightly more compassionate. That's what he liked, feeling that nostalgic sense of their old friendship, when they used to tell each other all their secrets and problems, cuddle by the fire, read poetry, and fall asleep so innocently in each other's arms.

"Just memories...possibly stress, George has been talking to me about financial difficulties as of late...this battle with Edison hasn't been cheap, I mean, that's what it must be, right?" he sighed, kissing her shoulder slightly.

"You mean he can't pay you?" she looked up at him inquisitively.

"Genius like mine is priceless, no?" he teased cockily and she rolled her eyes.

"You do have expensive tastes," she pointed out.

"I have luxuries, doesn't mean I need them, it's my inventions that I worry about. If he can't fund my work, then I can't continue to push the boundaries then..."

"Then Edison wins," she answered for him.

"No, then they all win, everyone who ever told me that I was dreaming like a fool. My father, my professors, they all win and my life's work is nothing but a failure," he sighed.

"We both know that's not true," she brought up her free hand and caressed his cheek. "And your life is far from over."

He chuckled and kissed her hand.

"You're right," he sighed and relaxed again, gently stroking her side.

"What do you see, if I may ask?" Helen asked, ever the doctor.

"You may," he inhaled deeply before continuing. "I see myself, like it had been on that night I had begun to transform. Everything flushes back, the fear, the uncertainty, it's more of those feelings that cause the nightmare than the actual images I see. Those attacks were...violent, confusing, frightening...the rush of terror is what makes it hard to sleep," he sighed looking down at her.

_...but then I wake up next to you._

"Well then it's a good thing I'm here," she teased, kissing his lips lightly.

"Yes," he smiled softly.

"Are you going to be moving to the new Santuary... when it's done, I mean?" he asked.

Helen smiled slightly.

"I don't know...maybe, I haven't really thought about it honestly," a giggle escaped her.

"All this travelling back and forth and you haven't thought about it, I thought it was the whole reason you were doing this for!" he chuckled.

"My mind has been, well, otherwise occupied," her hand slid up his thigh in a suggestive manner.

"On me?" he grinned, trying to act smug though inside he was singing with hope. Hope that maybe she felt something akin to what he did, that he didn't just want to sleep with her on the off days, but that he wanted to go to bed with her at night, wake up to her face in the morning, make-love to her on their honeymoon, and ride out the rest of their lives whether be it hunting and saving abnormals, or having her on his arm as he accepted his nobel prize. This arrangement, though satisfactory for the time being, was not enough, and he hoped, beyond hope, that when the time came for more, she would want it as well.

She laughed again.

"Partially," she answered him cryptically, rolling her eyes at him.

He loved her laugh, and the way her eyes twinkled when she was happy. She seemed happy right now, like him.

Their first night in his tent at the fair, though hot and seductive and beyond his dreams, had been more about dominating each other, or more so, him letting her think she was the one doing the dominating. When they had woke it had been tense though, Helen was still uncomfortable with the fact that she had slept with one of her dearest friends for nothing other than pleasure. Nikola was just riveted that he had gotten the chance with her, even if it were only the once. Then it happened again, he had the mad rush of exhilaration of being this woman's secret pleasure, her dirty little secret. But those feelings were slowly melted as the dirty secret melted off into a tender affair in his mind. Helen was becoming more adventurous, he was becoming more wistful. It was becoming less about the sex, he was pretty sure Helen was more than sexually satisfied at this point that it wasn't about blowing off steam. It was intimate, more than it had ever been with Rose.

He got up, hearing the dull thump as Helen lost her pillow and her head bounced on the mattress.

"Where are you going?" she asked, sitting up on her arms.

"No where, just close your eyes," Nikola smirked getting up and tugging on his shorts.

"What?" she looked at him incredulously.

"Just do it...for me...you trust me right?" he gave her a bright smile and she eyed him.

"About as far as I can throw you," she teased.

Nikola found his coat where he had draped it earlier in the evening. He reached into the inside pocket and pulled out a red rose. He knew Helen wasn't all to fond of gifts, but he thought that this might cheer her up. He saw them on a street vendor and compulsively bought one on his way here.

He held the rose in his fingers and then returned to the bed in front of Helen. Taking the oppurtunity to kiss her gently, she giggled.

"Is that my surprise?" she asked as he pulled away.

"No, that's just a door prize," he teased. "You can open your eyes now."

Helen's eyes fluttered open and immediately fell upon the rose in his hands.

"Nikola, I," she looked rather unnerved by the fact he had bought her something and looked at him uncertainly.

"It's nothing, Helen, just a beautiful flower for a beautiful lady," he said easily.

"You didn't have to," she felt flustered.

"I know, but I saw them and thought you might like one, this room is rather dreary, aside from you," he smiled handing her the flower.

"Our arrangement said no gifts," she said warningly.

"This isn't apart of the arrangement, Helen, this is just a rose," he felt his whimsical spirit slowly drain out of him.

"Did you buy flowers for Rose?" she said hotly.

"Yes, I did, all the time, they aren't any kind of promise, Helen, they're just something to brighten a woman's spirits, does it have to mean anything more than that?" he sighed dropping the flower on the bed.

"Anything outside of our arrangement means something, Nikola, that's why we left them out," she pushed past him and grabbed her robe angrily.

"One flower is hardly a marriage proposal," he stood up as well, realizing that she wasn't going to drop this. He found his trousers and flung them over his thin hips.

"That's just it! First it's one flower, then it's a bouquet, then it's chocolates, expensive jewelry, and a romantic getaway, then there are promises, dreams, words, letters, blessings, rings. I don't want any of that...not from you!"

Nikola felt his heart sink all the way to his toes. He walked to the little table picked up one of the wine glasses from it, pouring himself a generous helping of wine and choking it down in silence.

"Nikola...that's not what I...all I meant is that..."

"No, I understand...I'm your fuck buddy, and that's it, according to the terms of our agreement. Nevermind that we used to be friends...good friends as I recall. No, now I even breathe a word of sentimentality and you think I want more. Well, I do!" he slammed the empty glass to the floor. The resounding shatter causing Helen to jump. "I want what we had before I turned into this blasted creature that you hate so much!"

Helen knew he wasn't talking about his vampirism. Though at one time he had seen himself as a beast, he had come to rather love his new abilities and all their perks. He was talking about himself, and how she had been treating him ever since John left.

"Nikola, please understand," she sighed.

"I do, Helen! I was there! I was the one who saw all my friends turn on me thinking I was a killer, and I saw long before the maniac that John was! But it's over! That blasted nightmare is over now! All I want is my friends back, my best friend, you Helen!"

"Then why start this, why convince me to begin having sexual relations with you?" she asked.

"Because something had to change. I tried everything else and none of it was working, you kept hating me for what I couldn't change, so I changed the relationship, for one night, hoping maybe in the morning I would see my old friend on the pillow. That's what I want Helen, I want you."

It wasn't a complete lie, but it was better than the full truth.

He took a step towards her.

"Can't we be friends again, Helen? Like we were in Oxford. Before this...before this sickness came upon us. Before everything changed," he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, willing the answer from her before he pulled away.

Helen gasped, a small tear trickling down her cheek.

"Yes," she muttered. "Yes, yes."

It was all she could manage to say.

Nikola kissed her again and she repeated it.

"Yes."

His imagination could only help but run with the ideas of what that word meant in this moment.

He continued to kiss her all over her face, his elation at her agreement more than he could contain, and Helen leaned into him, returning the feeling.

He wrapped his arms around her and was about to scoop her up and carry her over to the bed when someone knocked at the door frantically.

"Helen! Wake up, it's urgent!" called James. He hammered on the door again. "Helen!"

"What is it?" she asked, wiping her face and eyes with her hands.

"It's Nikola," he said, honestly worried.

Helen looked at Nikola, then back to the door.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"His lab, it's on fire!" he said seriously and Helen saw Nikola's eyes widen, his arms releasing her as he tore around the room to dress himself.

"Let me dress, I'll meet you in the lobby," shesaid to James.

He agreed and rushed to the elevator.

By the time Helen turned back to Nikola he was already dressed and running out the door in a quick flurry.

"Nikola, wait!" she called after him.

He was already in the stairwell by the time she could get outside the door.

She groaned and rushed back in to change.

Nikola tore down the stairs like a cat on fire, skipping 3 steps at a time. He made it to the ground floor in record time, carelessly rushing out into the lobby and bumping into the one man he shouldn't have.

"Hey, what where you...Nikola?" James said, as Nikola flew past him.

"No time!" Nikola managed to say coherently. He ran out the front of the hotel and into the streets of New York not even bothering with hailing a cab.

James stood wide-eyed and confused. What was he doing here?

The elevator dinged and Helen came out, dressed as appropriately as she could and secretly praying James had missed Nikola or something.

"James, what are you standing around for, let's get a move on," she said, trying to push him out quickly, hoping Nikola was still descending the stairs.

"I just saw Nikola running out of here like his tail was on fire, but how did he-?" James eyes widened and he glared at Helen.

"Don't look at me like that, James," she huffed and stepped outside the foyer to hail a cab. The game was up, and she knew it.

"You are sleeping with him, aren't you?" James accused. "Ha! I knew it! The moment we stepped off the boat in February I knew something was up!"

"Ever the detective," Helen rolled her eyes, not wanting to have this conversation now.

"Yes, and you are ever the conniving woman. How long?" he asked pointedly.

"Now is not the time," Helen said dismissively.

"How long have you two been sleeping together?" he reiterated sternly.

"Since I went to see him at the World's Fair," she looked down, feeling her ears go hot.

James' eyes widened even more.

"My god, Helen!" he cried.

"It's nothing, James. We're just screwing around," she waved it off absently.

"Screwing is right," he scoffed.

"Please James, you are not my father," she scowled at him.

"I'm not, but I'm sure he would feel exactly the same way I do," James admonished her.

"Can we talk about this later, James?" she barked, finally getting a cab, telling the address to the driver and climbing in.

James scowled but agreed and climbed into the seat across from her, fixing his disappointed gaze on her for the entire trip to 5th Ave.

_**~~~~December 1895~~~~**_

_Nikola pounded on the glass of the chamber with clawed hands. Snarling angrily at the people behind it._

"_Gah!" he cried, baring his fangs to them. "Let me go!"_

_His voice was unnaturaly deep and menacing._

_Helen watched from the other side of the glass as her friend tore up the isolation room. It was heavily fortified with the best industrial grade steel and iron her father could afford. Designed specifically for problem patients, now it was being used to cage in her dear friend._

_The attacks were too close to each other that containing him was their only option, which he had agreed to before going into another frenzy. _

_Helen jotted some notes down on her notepad, trying to ignore the pounding of his fists and feral growls._

"_Helen...Helen, please, look at me," his voice slowly eased back to the normal timber she had grown accustomed to. She looked up from her notebook and met blue-grey eyes._

_He was pale and sweaty, his hair glistening and ruffled. His shirt was ripped open partially, along with one pant leg, and the severed cravat hung loosely around his neck. The shirtsleeves were ripped up to the elbow, the cufflinks tossed carelessly to the floor. She could see his pale chest peeking through all the torn fabric, moving with each inhale and exhale. _

_He looked awful._

"_Helen, I'm alright now, look," he held up his hands to reveal their human nature. "Please, let me out, I'm fine now, please. I just want some wine and a friendly face, Helen," he pleaded and it ached inside to have to refuse him, but she knew that this state of calm wouldn't last._

"_Nikola, you know I can't do that," she looked at him sadly. "We still haven't found a viable cure, and your attacks are becoming more frequent."_

"_Helen," he groaned. "I can control myself, I can."_

_Helen shook her head._

"_No, Nikola, not for very long," she shook her head._

"_Helen, let me out," he said again, this time more sternly._

"_I can't," she pleaded with him earnestly, silently begging him to stop asking. She wanted to let him out and hold him to her and tell him that everything was going to be ok, that all this was just a nightmare, but she couldn't._

"_Helen. Let. Me. Out." he said sharply, his voice deepening once again._

"_I can't!" she cried._

"_You can!" he screamed, turning back into his monstrous form. "When I get out I'll make you pay for what you've done to me! You did this! You've turned me this way!"_

_Helen bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears._

_He was right. Injecting the blood was her idea, her experiment. She gave no thought as to what the after-affects could have been, she just wanted the immediate results. Although the rest of them had turned out fine, Nigel was learning to control his invisibility bit by bit everyday, John could teleport to wide-open spaces with relative ease, James had found several knew ways to use his gifts, but Nikola._

_She looked at the monster standing before her, running his sharp nails along the glass pane, snarling wildly for freedom...it broke her heart. All he had wanted to do was stand beside her when she injected the blood. The last time she had really seen him was right before she had plunged the needle in his vein._

"_Don't worry, Helen," he had winked at her with a soft smile. "I'll...see you on the other side."_

_With one squeeze to his hand, and James and John coming up behind him in case he had a strong reaction to the injection. The dark red liquid was inserted into his veins, that moment of shock as the body feels like someone is hitting them with a chair from all sides at once. His eyes closed for a few brief seconds, he let out a strangled gasp, then stilled._

_Then he was gone._

_She should've seen it in his eyes. At that point her beloved friend ceased to exist except as a shadow in the body of an averging monster._

_Helen shook her head to stop herself from this silly notion of crying. She had no need to cry right now, crying wouldn't help bring her friend back, and certainly wouldn't tame the beast in front of her._

_Absentmindedly, her hand grazed the small bandage on her neck where he had bitten her the night she had followed him to Oxford and discovered his transformation. It made her shudder slightly in the remembrance of that dark alleyway, his body holding her firmly against the cold stone wall, his breath against her neck, unnatural worlds spoken in an unnatural voice. It was if death itself had snuck into this realm through the body of her best friend._

"_Helen! Don't you leave me! Let me go! Helen!" he began screaming as she turned on her heel, not wanting to stand there and watch him slip farther into insanity. "Helen, oh Helen," he began to sob. _

_She froze again, listening to his misery._

"_I'm sorry Helen, I'm so sorry," he muttered. She heard him sink to the floor. "Don't let me out, Helen, whatever I say, don't let me out. I-I don't want to hurt you."_

_She turned back to him and moved up to the glass._

"_It's not your fault Nikola, this is not your fault," she felt a tear escape as she put a hand to the glass._

"_I can't control it Helen, there is no way to control it," he whimpered, staring at his hands._

"_There has got to be a way, I know there is," she said even more determined. "The original vampires must've had some measure of control over their powers."_

"_They had their bloodlust, Helen! They were born and raised with other vampires and were never taught the importance of human life! They were taught when to control and when to feed and I wasn't given that luxury. I was dropped into this with no training and no mentor to help me. I'm lost, Helen, I'm lost inside my own body and there is no way out."_

_He got up off the floor and moved to the back of the small isolation room._

"_Nikola, please, just give me a little more time to understand this, so I can help you to understand. You can't hurt anyone in there, it will just take a little more time."_

"_Time," he scoffed quietly. "Please go, Helen...I would prefer being alone now."_

_He scrubbed a hand over his face and turned the small cot from it's side and placed the small mattress back on top of it and sat down with a heavy sigh and placing his head in his hands._

_Helen watched longingly, she didn't want to leave him in this state but she knew if she were to ever find a cure for his condition she couldn't stand there feling sorry for him._

_She chanced one last look at him before turning on her heel and leaving the room to head to find James._

_Nikola lifted his head out of his hands when he heard her footfalls grow fainter and fainter._

_He looked him at his room; it was in such disarray, he was in such disarray. His clothes were shredded and torn, and missing a button. He was glad there was no mirror but he would cringe to see himself now._

_He stood up and went to the mirror, moving to the spot on the window where Helen's hand had been and put his palm against it, he could almost feel the faint remains of her hand's warmth on the glass and he let out a sad sigh._

_It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that James injected the blood and got smarter. It wasn't fair that Nigel injected the blood and became invisible. It wasn't fair that John injected the blood and now has the ability to teleport from place to place, and it wasn't fair that Helen injected the blood and gained nothing._

_He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass and brought the paml of his hand to roughly hit that spot in the window._

_Why did he have to lose everything while they gained it all and she gained nothing? Why was he the one who had to be locked up? Why was he-?_

_He shook his head._

_It wasn't fair and he wasn't angry that it had happened to him._

_He looked back out the window and sighed._

_It wasn't fair for her either._

_Nikola growled and sat back down on the cot and clasped his hands in front of him, resting his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his thumbs._

_What was missing? What was he missing?_

_**~~~~March 13, 1895~~~~**_

Nikola tore down the street and around the block, slowing to a jog as he came up to the small fire brigade and saw the large fire consuming the building holding all he held dear inside.

"Agh," he groaned. "Dammit!"

He heard a carriage coming up the street and stop behind him.

He knew it was her and James but he didn't care. His life's work was going up in flames and he was too late.

"No, no, no, NO!" he cried.

Helen stepped out of the carriage and came up to him, resting her hand on his arm.

"Nikola...I am so sorry," she said, trying to be comforting.

"Why? It was not your fault. It's not your fault that my entire life's work, my papers, my designs, everything I had worked so hard for is destroyed!" Nikola shouted angrily.

"It must've been an accident. A leaky gas pipe, a burner left on, a fire starting from the upstairs? No one could've predicted it," she tried to calm him down.

"No, you and I both know this is too much of a coincidence! There is only one man who could've possibly been so petty, reckless, and maniacal enough to do something so drastic as this!" he cried, his face almost as red as the flames.

"You think Edison did this?" she looked at him incredulously.

"It's not the first time this man gone to extremes to get me out of his way, and so soon after winning the bid for Niagra Falls!" he fumed. "That bastard!"

He scrubbed a hand through his hair.

"Nikola, what are you thinking of doing?" she looked at him worriedly.

"Thinking of showing Edison to keep his paws off my business," he growled animalistically.

"Nikola, you can't run in and attack him. You couldn't not take the downfall if he reported you, or god forbid if there are witnesses," she put a hand on his chest.

"Don't worry, Helen, it will happen so quick he won't even know what hit him," Nikola extended his claws partially and began to walk back up the street.

"Nikola, I can't let you do this! I will not let you throw away your career for one moment of revenge!" she grabbed his arm, causing him to swing back and face her.

"Helen, my career is virtually bankrupt! There is no money! No schematics, no prototypes! I've lost everything!" he cried, yanking his arm away from hers.

"No, you haven't! Because it is all in here!" she tapped the side of his head. "Your work, all the schematics, everything is in here! You can rebuild, and if money is the issue I can help, as a friend, but to let you waste it away like this over an unfounded grudge would be doing more damage than that fire ever could!" she pleaded to have him understand.

He scowled, yanking his hand away one last time before storming away from Grand Street.

"Where is he going?" asked James, coming up behind her.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I just hope he comes back."

James let out a huff but nodded his head.

"Let's get back to the hotel," he led her back to the carriage. "There's nothing we can do here now."

Helen agreed and got into the cab.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

James handed Helen a glass of brandy as she sat on the small couch in ther hotel room. She was very uncomfortable, knowing that eventually James was going to ask her about it. She had no answers and no real viable explanations for what this thing with Nikola had become.

James was very sensible and wouldn't accept it as just a carnal affair. He would either accuse her for deflecting her remnant emotions of John on to Nikola, or accuse Nikola of taking advantage of Helen for his own personal gain.

He wouldn't understand what this arrangement meant to them, she didn't at first, not until about an hour ago when Nikola had honestly explained it to her.

James would still not understand it.

"So," he started, sitting in the chair across from her.

"So?" she sighed.

"You and Nikola-?" he began.

"It's none of your business, James, and I'd appreciate it if you let it remain that way," she said firmly.

"Just answer me one question, Helen. Are you in love with him?" he asked her sternly.

"It's not like that, James...it's complicated, but I feel no different about him than I have felt before," she sighed.

"Helen," he admonished. "I can't believe that."

"And why not?" she huffed.

"Because you are engaging in something intimate and personal and to feel absolutely no different towards that person afterwards...it's impossible, something always changes!"

"That may be but it's not love, it's just some horseplay," she growled. "Nikola and I...it's under my terms. We've made the arrangement and that it all that it is, an arrangement."

James eyed her suspiciously.

"Are you sure that is all it is... for him?" he asked carefully.

"Yes James!" she shouted, slamming the brandy glass down on the table. "We've talked about this! We are not adolescents, James! We are grown up people who know what our needs are and don't need your permission to seek it wherever it lies!" she stood up and paced, putting her hands on her hips. "Just when...things were getting back to normal..."

"Normal!" James shot to his feet incredulously. "How is this, by any definition, normal?"

"Not the arrangement...the relationship, all this time spent together we were starting to get over this blasted animosity...it was beginning to kind of feel like those old Oxford days," she sighed and saw James deflate.

"Of course...I see now," he mumbled.

"Do you?" Helen turned to him.

"Yes," he nodded his head. "You've always had unconventional methods...it would take an unconventional method to make that man come to reason."

Helen gave her friend a soft smile.

"You know Nikola would never hurt me, or drag me into something without my full consent," she patted his shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but it's mine and Nikola's decision and we will deal with it if it becomes a problem."

James nodded.

"You're right," he chuckled. "I just can't help playing older sibling when this happens, you know that."

"Yes, I'm pretty sure my father is paying you for this service," Helen teased him.

"Not quite, but he finds my insight invaluable." James teased back.

Helen gave him a light hug.

"I'm sure Nikola will be fine, he probably just went for a little walk to blow off some steam, right?"

James opened his mouth to respond but a knock came to the door.

"Excuse me, Ma'am," said a young concierge from the hotel. "There is a man down in the lobby asking for you to see him."

Helen looked at James and nearly bolted to the door.

She moved past the concierge to the elevator in lightning speed, James following suit with the same amount of urgency.

They reached the lobby and saw no one they recognized.

"Where is he?" she turned to the concierge.

"Uh...he's...he's outside I think," mumbled the young man and Helen nodded, gesturing to James to tip him as she hurred walked out the front doors of the hotel and spotted him, sitting on the curb 5 meter from the hotel entrance.

She let out a relieved sigh and walked up to him.

His shoulder were slumped heavily, and he looked defeated.

"Nikola?" she asked and he sighed, not turning to greet her. "Did you?"

"No," he shook his head. "I didn't even get close to Menlo Park before I heard your damn voice in my head goading my conscience into turning around and coming back here."

Helen smirked weakly.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"No, but...I think I'll live," he shrugged.

"Nikola, come up to my room with me and get off this mucky street," she said lightly. "I can order us a bottle of wine, good wine too, a good wine always cheers you up, right?"

He nodded.

"I can do that hip thing you enjoy so much," she offered and he gave her a dry chuckle.

"Well, I do enjoy your hips," he teased.

"Come, stay here tonight. James won't bother us. He's going to go to the plot tomorrow check on the progress with the architect," she took his hand and got him to his feet.

"He knows doesn't he?" asked Nikola.

"Well, bumping into him wasn't exaclty subtle," she teased lightheartedly. "But he's promised not to tell as long we be discreet and don't come between our work and the Sanctuary."

Nikola smiled again, brushing a stray lock from her face.

"Alright, I'll stay," he sighed. "But what happens after tonight?"

Helen was taken aback by the question then remembered their previous conversation.

"Well, it depends on what time of day it is. We can either have a late lunch, or you can take me for a nice stroll through Central Park," she watched as his eyes lit up as he mulled over her words.

"What would I do without you, Helen?" he said honestly and Helen blushed slightly.

"Well I don't know but I suspect it would involve ruining a perfectly good pair of trousers," she teased, wiping a smear of dust off his pant leg.

"If anything that will save my wardrobe, do you have any idea how many new shirts I've had to purchase since this arrangement?" he scoffed.

"Why do you think I keep ripping them?" she teased, taking his hand and leading him inside.

"Well, maybe I should ruin a pair of your knickers and you can see how it feels," he challenged jokingly.

"I'd like to see you try," she accepted his challenge with a small blush.

They passed James at the door who stared at them, which caused Nikola to laugh.

"Goodnight James, sleep tight," Nikola said curteously.

"That's virtually impossible at this point but I'll try," he departed to the smoking room to drink some brandy's with some of the other men while Helen and Nikola snuck into the elevator and headed upstairs.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

Aww, so cute!

Ok, so this has a bit of history, a bit of drama, a bit of suggestive flirtiness. My idea is that this is a precursor to what will happen between the two of them later that will eventually terminate this lovely arrangement of theirs, because you know it has to end sometime then they won't see each other till the Worth Affair, then so on and so forth, so probably at this point we'll be seeing larger and larger time jumps. I won't be incorporating any of Helen's time jumpy-ness, cause seriously...too complicated.

And for those asking about the relationship between James and Helen...i'm just going to say it now. I don't believe it actually happened so it won't be appearing much past a sibling/friend relationship. Frankly, when watching Normandy, I heard John accuse James of being with Helen out of jealousy which James didn't even dignify with an answer, so in my mind that was just John, and those who are Watnus fans (whatever they're called) can believe what they want. Personally I love Peter Wingfield, he's the only reason besides possibly Jim Byrnes to watch Highlander (:) Methos is super smexy) but in the Troublemakers, this story is strictly about the relationship between Helen and Nikola, so none of her other possible or hypothetical relationships will come into play unless I feel it will cause a conflict between our favorite pair...like Rose or John...but I have no inspiration for John at the moment so don't ask if he'll be making an appearance any time soon.

If I ever feel so inclined and change my opinion about Watnus, or (God willing) Sanctuary is renewed for season 5 and they make some kind of confirmation that there indeed was a Watnus at one tie (again I have no idea what they call themselves...Jamesen? Magnawat? *shrugs*

Also, I've been asked if I am possibly writing anything on Vienna in Springtime. I will tell you that I am working on an idea that I will think will be tons of fun in a sort of Seasick-Sound of Silence type of way that I think y'all will enjoy, I don't know when it will be up, I've just started writing it, but keeps your eyes peeled for when it's released :)

Have a wonderful January! Excited to go back to school *rolls eyes* I know how you feel. Y'all might think theatre school is fun but it is craaaaazy!

And for a belated New Years presents! Nikola Cookies for all who review! Remember they taste like wine and are covered in chocolate! Yay!


	38. Chocolates and Passion (3)

**Chapter 38 - Chocolates And Passion (Part 3)**

_**~~~~September 1895~~~~**_

_I didn't know what to think when I got your letter. I wasn't expecting this from you. Are you sure this is what you want?_

Nikola knocked on the door of his good friend's town house on Lexington Avenue. He hadn't seen Robert and Katharine in a long time it felt, and when he received their invitation to stay for a weekend up in the country home something in him decided that he needed a break from all his work.

The door opened quickly and a woman ran into his arms, looping around his neck and pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Nikki!" she cried jovially. "Come in, dear friend, please."

Before he could protest the beautiful woman tugged him inside.

"Robert is picking up some odds and ends and should be back soon, let me make you some coffee," she nearly ripped his arms off removing his coat and hat and putting it on the stand. "Ah, Nikki, it feels like forever."

He smiled at her.

"Well, I've been busy," he coughed awkwardly and she blushed slightly.

"Yes, that was probably my fault...throwing myself at you like that, it was highly inappropriate, I still don't know what came over me," she looked at him honestly. "When you agreed to come I was so happy...I felt I had scared you off."

Nikola smiled at Katharine Johnson, the wife of one of his greatest friends. It had been months since he had been in their company, and in that last meeting, Katharine, through some force, had offered herself up quite seductively to him when Robert's back had been turned. To be truthful he had been avoiding them under the guise of work, if only to give Katharine a moment to cool down and consider what she really wanted, love or sex.

The way she smiled at him, almost beaming he understood now that it was no more than misdirected needs.

She tugged him into the kitchen and sat him down at the table. She busily rushed around the kitchen, fetching all that she would need to make him feel the most comfortable. Sugar, cream, biscuits, everything she could use to make him the best cup of coffee this side of Manhattan.

Nikola grinned, watching her flit around like a bee from flower to flower then dumping it on the table in front of him, plated with teaspoons and her good china.

"Robert and I have been looking forward to a nice trip out of the city for awhile, it's going to even better with you there, we'll have so much to do, so much to talk about," she said excitedly.

Nikola put his hand on her arm and she calmed down at the touch, her eyes drifting across to where his hand lay then flitting up to meet his gaze.

"Sit down, Mrs. Fillipov," he said teasingly. "You'll work yourself into a state of distress."

She blushed again and inhaled deeply.

"You're right, I just need to breathe," she put her hand over his softly, grasping his fingers in a gentle squeeze, lingering just that one second too long before Nikola snatched his hand back. "Robert has plans, you're in for quite the adventure."

Nikola chuckled.

"Always with the Fillipovs," he joked.

"I love it when you call us that...makes me feel like a new person...like when you're here we become different people in some kind of fantasy," she smiled sweetly. "I imagine, sometimes, that my alter ego, Mrs. Fillipov, is a strong-willed woman, much stronger than I, who lives a life of untold adventure and danger...and passion."

Nikola sputtered on a biscuit when she said the last word.

"Oh, I'll get you some water," Katharine said without hesitation. She poured him a glass from a tall pitcher and handed it to him, he took it gratefully.

"Thank you," he muttered, rubbing his throat slightly.

"The coffee should be ready soon," she sat back down, picking up a biscuit from the plate and nibbling on it. "So, what have you been up to Nikki? Any trouble? I heard about your lab...I was so upset, I tried to convince Robert to come and see you but you were no where to be found. Not your apartment, not the gentleman's club. We were worried that you had fallen into some kind of depression. Where were you, Nikki?"

"Uh, with a friend," he said with a shrug. He couldn't exactly explain what had happened that week after the fire. He had spent the majority of the oncoming weeks in his lover's arms, only really coming out to eat and tend to some small business issues. Katharine, he felt, wouldn't quite understand the basis of his relationship with Helen; honestly he had never mentioned the woman that so often captured his thoughts and fantasies to his good friends. In some twisted way, he liked keeping her all to himself.

Helen, his Helen. Every time he closed his eyes he could see her; smell her; feel her skin, slapping against his as they danced together between the sheets of her hotel room. He could remember and picture perfectly every curve and niche that woman had to offer and he became overwhelmed by his lust for her body and the desire for her heart. He had hoped that he could continue with their agreement, but he found it harder and harder as the weeks whittled away to keep it all bottled up inside. He loved her, more than he could say, and every time he was with her he loved her more. He was in love with everything about her, and everyone else reminded him of her. Just the thought of her caused his slow heart to beat abnormally fast.

Nikola looked over at Katharine. He loved her as well, but it was a kind love, a fondness. She was a friend, and despite how beautiful and entrancing she was he did not burn for her the way he did for Helen. How could he explain that to her without making her feel like a fool for feeling the way she does? Katharine was anything but a fool, but she was missing something, a passion that was not being satisfied by her husband's comfortable way of living. She had no children to occupy her time, no job to get her out of the house, and a husband who found more romance in poetry than in his wife's body.

"Have you found a new lab yet?" Katharine brought his mind back on track.

"Yes," Helen had helped. "It's on Houston Street now, right below Greenwich Village. It's a nice place. Still settling in but hopefully now it will be more secure than my last laboratory."

Katharine nodded. The coffee pot whistled and she stood up to fetch it and fill up the delicate china cup with the dark aromatic liquid.

She brought the cups over and placed them gently on the table, careful not to spill any on her fingers.

Nikola accepted his cup and proceeded to dump three large spoonfuls of sugar and a dollop of cream, stirring it with trained precision, and then taking a decent sip of it.

Katharine giggled.

"I still can't get over you're awful sugar habit," she teased. "You can't eat or drink anything that isn't sweet. I see now why wine is your drink of choice."

"My father was a priest. Sweets were an indulgence, and he had sworn off all indulgences as a fast for the Lord. The moment I moved out on my own I was offered a sweet and I have not turned back since. As for wine...what little altar boy didn't steal a swig from the sacramental wine once or twice? My father practically encouraged it, said it was cleansing for the soul...you know, with moderation."

"Of course," Katharine nodded.

"I plan on finding the finest wine ever made in the world one day," he took another sip of coffee. "Everything else I drink, I drink with sugar because nothing compares to the delicate sweetness of a fine wine."

Katharine laughed.

"Robert is a sherry man. He likes his port, every night before bed," said Katharine conversationally.

"What about you?" asked Nikola.

She grinned slightly then stood up, sneaking over to a small box opening it, taking out its contents to reveal the box's false bottom and pulling out a small tin. She brought the tin over to him and pried of its lid. Inside were chocolates, small little bite-sized chocolates. Nikola stole one and popped one in his mouth. In the middle was a candied cherry, setting off a tangy sweetness against the dark chocolate.

"It's not a drink, per se, but I'm so shy about it I can't even tell Robert...I buy them for myself every so often and sneak one when Robert isn't looking," she blushed slightly. "Chocolate is my weakness. I find its taste pure and simply pleasurable. As if God bottled up a single moment of ecstasy into one silky bite-sized morsel."

Nikola eyed her as she took a chocolate from the box and gently placed it in her mouth. His throat went a little dry at the subtle and serenely lustful glance she gave him as she indulged in her pleasure. She covered the lid back on the tin and placed it back inside the box under the false bottom. Nikola watched her every move.

Robert walked in, disturbing the oddly tense moment.

"Ah, Nikola!" he said with a smile, opening his arms wide in greeting.

"Luka!" Nikola said, glad for the distraction from Katharine. He embraced his good friend. "I'm glad you could make it! Our cab leaves within the hours. Dear, are we all packed?"

Katharine looked up at her husband and smiled.

"Of course, my dear," she tucked the box back into its original place and proceeded to clean up the remains of her and Nikola's strange tea party.

"Nikola, there is something I'd like to show you before we leave, if I may?" asked Robert.

"Yes, of course," Nikola gestured to have Robert lead the way.

Nikola followed him out. He paused at the door and chanced a glance back at Katharine, catching her eyes for a tense second. He quickly averted his gaze and walked out. He had the sudden and sinking feeling that this weekend wasn't going to go as smoothly as he had hoped.

_**~~~~April 1895~~~~**_

Nikola felt Helen's hand on his knee, quite prevalently. It slid up his thigh gently and squeezed slightly every-so-often. He pretended to ignore it, pretty sure Helen didn't even realize she was doing it.

They were taking a carriage to the constuction site where the new Sanctuary was to be built. It was a large plot of land in Queens. Nikola thought the name was actually quite fitting, figures his highly british friends and colleagues would find a spot in a place that reminded them of their heritage.

James sat across from them, promptly ignoring the quite telling gesture. Nikola chose to keep his gaze outside the carriage window, but tht didn't keep his mind off the fact that she was caressing his knee, quite sensually too, and right in front of their old inquisitve friend.

He knew of the affair, and that was one thing, but flaunting it about so carelessly, well, it was throwing him off slightly. Either she was comfortable enough in front of James that she didn't care that he saw her touching him so tenderly, or she was so comfortable with Nikola that she was subconsciously doing this. Nikola silently prayed for the latter. In some twisted way, knowing she subconciously wanted him gave him hope for the future.

He knew it, and he knew James knew it: He was hopelessly wrapped around her finger, and the sad thing was, he enjoyed it.

Instead of making a scene, or making things more awkward for James, especially if she wasn't aware of the gesture, he looked out the window and counted the number of lamp posts they passed on the way to the site.

3...6...9...

"Nikola, darling," Helen's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Yes," he snapped his gaze at her. Her hand was still on his knee, in fact, it had shifted higher.

"What do you think?" she asked. He deflated slightly, he had not heard a word of her discussion with James. Apparently it was more of an argument and he sputtered for a few seconds coming up with an answer.

"Uh, I, uh-agree with you," hesmiled as genuinely as possible.

"See," she looked over at James.

"You think fireplaces over fuel burning furnace?" James looked at Nikola skeptically.

"Y-yes?" he said looking over at Helen and she smiled at him.

"I told you he'd agree with me," Helen said defiantly.

Nikola laughed awkawardly then returned his gaze back out the window. In fact, he thought the furnace was much more practical than fireplaces, but he wasn't about to voice that at this particular juncture.

"Of course he agrees with you, he considers it his fee for sexual intercourse!" James stated simply and with a slight chuckle.

Nikola's head snapped back.

"I do not!" he cried indignantly.

"James!" Helen cried, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. "That is a highly inappropriate thing to say."

Nikola looked at her.

"I agree...and not because of sex," Nikola nodded his head.

James laughed.

"You two are positively adorable," James leaned back in his seat. "Sticking to your guns together even to the end."

"What are you on about?" Helen rolled her eyes.

"I don't know if you noticed Helen, but Nikola hasn't heard a word from either of us the moment your hand touched his leg," James pointed his finger at her gloved hand still resting on his knee.

She lifted it off immediately.

"I used it to steady myself over that bump," she said defensively.

"That maybe so, but you didn't bother to move it once you gained equilibrium," James admonished with a grin.

"What are you insinuating, James?" Nikola jumped to her defense.

"I'm just saying if your plan was to be discreet you aren't doing a very good job of it," James crossed his arms and fized them with a pointed gaze.

"Well, this is just in front of you, we don't have to be discreet around you, you already know," Helen jumped in.

Nikola looked over at her then back at James and nodded.

"Well, why don't I just turn my head for the rest of the trip so you two can share a good snog?" James challenged.

"Maybe we will," Helen challenged back.

Nikola snapped his head back a her.

"What?" he sputtered.

"Why don't you just climb on his lap and go right at it then!" James challanged even further.

"Maybe I should!" Helen cried, a hint of a small giggle in her voice.

Nikola's eyes widened significantly at this.

"Uhhhh," he raised a finger to interject but was promptly ignored.

"I'll just turn my head and give you some privacy then," James crossed one leg over the other and shifted his body in his seat to stare out the window.

Nikola looked over at Helen whose eyes darted to his.

"We're not really...I mean...with him here..." Nikoal whispered to her and she smiled widely and shook her head.

"No," she whispered back.

He let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh good, for a moment there I couldn't tellif you were kidding," he blushed slightly and she giggled, leanign voer and pressing a small kiss to his. It was a friendly kiss, she had always done it when he got shy and awkward like this back in Oxford. It was bits and pieces of their deep friendship resurfacing.

As much as they still had their agreement, things like this kept happening, little things he'd almost forgotten but gladly welcomed.

Helen leaned back in her seat and smiled slightly, placing her hand back on his knee. She was definitely aware of that and how it affected him...minx.

_**~~~~September 1895~~~~**_

Robert and Katharine's cottage in the country was beautiful. Serene and out of the way. Picturesque, complete with beautiful garden and bright flowerbeds, despite the season. It was like Fall had never touched this place.

The sun glistened of the neatly thatched roof, making Nikola feel like he had stepped out of reality and into a fairytale.

He took the attic bedroom which has a lovely four post bed, a small desk, a lamp, and a chest of drawers. A window streamed sunlight into the small room and a staircase led to the second floor of the cottage which held the mater bedroom and bathroom, and beyond that was a staircase leading on to the groundfloor which had a small breakfast nook attached to the kitchen and a cozy little sitting area which lead to the backyard veranda and the garden.

The colors were warm and vibrant, the scent was of fresh rain and flowers, the air was clean, and the atmospshere pleasant. A very restorative environment.

Nikola plunked his suitcase down on the bed and changed out of his heavy suit jacket and waistcoat till he was in nothing but his shirt and vest, popping the buttons the vest to open it up to the warm air. He also unbuttoned the first three buttons on his shirt and yanked off his cravat exposing his long white neck. He neatly folded the garments and put them away accordingly along with the rest of his clothes in the chest.

Soon after, Robert had called him down to join him on the veranda with a bottle of wine.

Nikola was done before Robert could say what vintage it was.

"Quite worth the day's travel, isn't it?" asked Robert, pouring the wine into the slender-necked glasses.

"Yes, how did you find such a place?" asked Nikola, he sat down in one of the chairs on the veranda and accpeted the wine gratefully.

"It belongs to my family, we've been coming here for years," Robert sat in the chair next to him, reclining fully into it and cradling his glass.

"Where is Mrs. Fillipov?" asked Nikola.

"Changing into something a bit more comfortable, I imagine," shrugged Robert. "She'll be joining us shortly."

Nikola nodded his head and sipped the wine.

"Ooh, good vintage," Nikola smirked happily, letting the taste linger on his tongue.

"Only the best for you, my friend," Robert cheered, clinking their glasses together. "So, where've you been all this time, Nikki?"

Nikola looked up from his wine.

"Busy, as usual," he said nonchalantly.

"I haven't seen you since...lord it's nearly been since January," Robert continued.

"Yes, with this War of the Currents, George has had me running in all directions, we predict we'll be harnessing the power of Niagra falls ealry next November...it would've been sooner but that lab fire was a great set back to my plans," sighed Nikola.

"I heard, we had come to find you, but nether me nor anyone else could find you for a week," said Robert.

"I went to a friend's," Nikola shurgged dismissively.

"So Katharine says," he nodded.

"They helped me get back on track...that fire disturbed me...it still does, but now I can move on," Nikola took another sip of his wine.

"Do you know who did it?" asked Robert.

"I can only guess," sighed Nikola.

"You don't think it was Edison, do you?" asked Robert.

"It's only speculation, any evidence burned along with everthing else," Nikola sighed. "Anyways, I still won the bid for Niagra, and no lab fire can destroy that. But this time I'm prepared for any mishaps. I bought a safe for safe keeping all my blueprints and schematics, if my lab mysteriously catches fire again I won't have to start from scratch again."

Robert cheered again, and their glasses clinked just as Katharine stepped outside of the cottage.

She wore a light blue sundress. Nikola almost dropped his glass upon seeing her. Her hair was done up in a tight up do, and the dress was sleeveless and barely came down to her ankles. She was stunning.

"Darling, you look ravishing," Robert stood up and took her hand and kissed it. "The sun does wonders to you."

Katharine smiled brightly at him.

"You really think so Robbie?" she twirled for him slightly.

"Emphatically," he leered at her admireably.

Nikola did everything he could to try not to stare, ending him in bruying his nose in his wine glass and gulping the whole thing down in one go.

"Nikki! Pace yourself!" Katharine admonished him witha slight grin. "Wouldn't want you to lose control of your faculties."

She winked at him slightly, taking his wine glass from his hands, her fingers grazing his hands gently as she did so.

"How's about a picnic lunch in the gardens? The gazebo looks so pretty this time of year?" said Katharine excitedly.

"That sounds lovely, my dear, how's about it, Nikola?" asked Robert.

"Uh, sure," he forced a smile at the two of them.

"Great, i'll pack a lunch," smiled Katharine. "Nikola, may I request your assistance? Robert find that blanket...you know."

Robert nodded and left, heading inside.

As soon as he was gone Nikola turned to her and glared at her.

"I know what you're doing Katharine," he growled lowly.

"Doing what?" she shrugged innocently. "I just asked for some assistance."

"You know what I mean, Katharine, and you need to stop it," he whispered harshly, following her into the kitchen. "I can't do this with you, I value my friendship with the both of you too much to ruin it with any kind of lustrous fantasy."

She turned to him, her arm snaking around his shoulder to he back of his neck.

"How so?" she teased, pressing her hips into his slightly. She leaned against the counter as she fiddled with the hair at the base of his skull.

He grasped her hand and stepped out of her embrace.

"You know very well how so," he growled. "And it's wrong. It's a betrayal to Robert's trust of me and of you."

Katharine sighed disappointedly and turned back to the counter.

"Katharine..." Nikola groaned. "I love you. I do, I really do." He stepped up behind her. "But as Mrs. Fillipov, anything more than that I can't give to you."

Katharine turned in his arms.

"I know that's not true...you look at me...you look at me," he knew what she was trying to say. "Kiss me, Nikki, please, just once. One time and then tell me how you feel."

Nikola groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Not here, not now," he sighed.

"Tonight, when Robert is asleep, at the gazebo...meet me there," Katharine stepped up to him, placing her hands up to his cheek, whispering into his ear in case Robert was nearby.

Nikola shuddered slightly

"Yes, fine...but this one time only, then you stop this relentless pursuit of me, alright?" he said firmly.

"Yes," she nodded her head. She stepped away from him and began to busy herself around the kitchen to prepare the picnic lunch.

_**~~~~April 1895~~~~**_

Nikola lifted his hand to help Helen out of the carriage.

"So this is the dirt heap your father bought?" teased Nikola. "It's beautiful, the most stunning dirt heap in town."

"Joke all you want, it may be a dirt heap now, but in a few years when construction is finished you'll see," Helen hit his shoulder playfully.

"Yes, expanding operations into the new world," Nikola mocked.

"Abnormals are everywhere, and not all of them can come to us, this makes it easier for the both of us," shrugged Helen.

"Who would be running this operation?" Nikola looked at her. "You?"

"Possibly. Nigel might as well, he's english to the bone but I think he's beginning to feel a bit restless. But it will be years before any solid decisions are made, first construction, then we'll nitpick over the tiny details," said Helen.

"Oh, Helen, imagine all the fun we could have if you live in New York," Nikola smirked dreamily. "I can just see it, dinner at 8, dancing ant 8:30, dessert at 9, and by 9:30 you're on your back begging for more."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Hardly, I'd get bored of your presence quickly," she waved it off jokingly.

"Oh Helen, you wound me," he clasped a hand over his heart. "Let's ditch the detective, find a nice quiet alley and get up to some trouble."

Helen laughed.

"No, we already had a debacle with James in the carriage, do we reall need to have that conversation with him again? If he catches us we'd never hear the end of it, he'd never trust us along together," she sighed.

"But don't tell me the possibility excites you," he grinned. "I saw your face in that carriage, you were positively ecstatic in that dare."

"It was a joke, Nikola, I would never...in front of him...no!" she rolled her eyes.

"I know, but the danger and risk of it...that excites you," hecame up behind her, dangerously close ad whispered in her ear. "You're thinking, he's not looking, we should sneak off behind those buildings over there...5...10 minutes...he'll never notice."

Helen shuddered slightly.

"No, i'm thinking, he's making a scene...I shouldve left him at the hotel," Helen elbowed him in the gut and he grunted.

"Aww, come on, Helen, we used to get into tons of trouble back in the old days," he followed her.

"Setting up pranks and shooting at our classmates with homemade slingshots is a very different kind of trouble then what you're up to Nikola," Helen teased.

"Well back the I didn't know what kind of trouble you were capable of," he teased back.

"Later, Nikola, just not here," she pushed him away once more. "I want you to see what's going on here, I did bring you here for a reason."

"I know...I just thought it involved...nevermind..." Nikola whined and Helen laughed.

"Later...now, we're going to act normal..." she smirked a little deviously. "When we get back to the hotel though."

"Promises, promises," he joked. "Alright, show me the dirt heap."

He gave her his arm and she took it with a small giggle.

"Well, over here is where we're planning to have the foyer..."

_**~~~~September 1895~~~~**_

The day had gone from beautifully sunny and warm to an all out downpour in a manner of seconds. Luckily the threesome had finished their picnic long beforehand the rain had come. It started pouring around 4:oo and hadn't stopped since.

Nikola stood outside his window, wondering if he was still meeting Katharine out by the gazebo or if the rain had called off their plans. Seeing as it was near midnight and she hasn't stolen him away in the last few hours to change plans he assumed so, but either way he was going to wait for her to make the first move.

He sighed, looking at the thick sheet of rain pouring heavily onto the the little cottage.

What was he going to say to her to gently say he wasn't interested? Yes, she was a beautiful woman, and yes she was very appealing to the eye. He liked her very much both physically and intellectually, and with all the innuendo she's been throwing at him the last few days he knew she definitely had an effect on him, but for all that, she wasn't Helen.

He misses her. He always missed her when she went back to London. Though her visits had been frequent for the last few months he felt them becoming less and less so. Every time she was far from him he felt it in every bone in his body.

Although the nightmares had ceased long ago, he still had dreams, and dreams made him restless. So he usually spent his nights working or in the company of friends. When she would come back he would be on fire, it was he could not to kiss her senseless on first sight. He kept hoping that it was the same for her.

He heard a door slam and he looked out the window seeing a flowy figure run out on to the veranda. She stopped and looked up at him, smiled then kept running through the garden.

Nikola sighed and grabbed his suit jacket before heading with deft silence down the stairs to the ground floor and into the rain.

By the time he reached the gazebo he was soaked through. She was as well, and looked even more tantalizing with her wet hair and soaked sundress that was nearly see through, despite the dim light.

"Alright, I'm here," he sputtered some rain water dripping off his face.

She didn't respond but grabbed his lapel and pulled him to her fiercelyn engulfing him with warm lips, wamr touches. Her hands opened the buttons on his jacket and slipped her arms inside, holding him close. Nikola got lost in the kiss, almost forgetting who he was kissing and slid his hands into her wet, slightly curled hair. One of his hands slid from her hair to cup her cheek and hold her closer.

"Oh, Hel-" he groaned.

"Shhh," she whispered.

Their lips collided once again, and he felt himself pushed outside the shelter of the gazebo into the dripping rain and all he could feel was her beyond the thrum of the rain on his head and back.

There was no wind, so it was a relatively warm rain shower, which only added to the heat of the moment.

He felt her legs buckle and pull him down on the wet grass. His body hovered over hers, sheltering her from the rain. His hands, through a will of their own, pushed the skirts of her dress and petticoats up, sliding his hands over her wet thighs.

"Oh Nikki," she groaned.

He dipped his head to her and kissed her hungrily, his hands grasping her hips firmly, trying to steady her writhing. Her hands slid through his hair, dislodging it from it's set place, causing it to stand up on it's end. He groaned unintelligibly at the contact. His mouth trailed over her face, tasting the clean rain water off her nose and chin and down to her neck. He wanted bite her, he always wanted to bite her, she tasted exquisitely but he knew he couldn't.

She shifted a leg so that the knee pointed up, her ankle sliding up against his butt, rubbing against it to coax him slightly. The action made him snarl instinctually and he felt his hips grinding against hers...or vice versa...he couldn't really tell over the haze of lust and rainfall.

She hooked a leg around his and spun them over but he acted quickly and kept them spinning so he remained on top, but he could feel how the little tumble resulted in a coat of mud over each of them which was quickly washing off due to the rain.

"Kiss me, Nikki," she whispered and he obliged her, pouring his heart and soul into the kiss.

_I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you...Helen._

_Helen? Helen. This is not Helen. This is Katharine. Katharine Underwood Johnson, married to Robert Underwood Johnson, my friend...my best friend. This is Katharine, not Helen. Helen is the one I love. This is not Helen, this is Katharine, the wife of my best friend...Mrs. Fillipov!_

"Touch me, Nikki," he heard her again and he pulled back, looking into her lust-filled eyes with a mixture of shock and horror.

"No, no, NO!" he rolled off of her and scrambled to his feet. "This is wrong!"

Katharine sat up.

"Nikki, please!" she pleaded.

"No! I won't betray him like this! I won't hurt a friend like this, Katharine!" her name came out like acid. "I can't give you what you desire, Katharine, not like this."

"Nikola! I love you!" she cried, getting up to her feet. "I always have. I want to be with you, not just for a night, Nikki, can't you see that...I love you."

"I can't love you back, Katharine!" he cried back. "You are married, more importantly, you are married to one of my best friends. I can't love you Katharine!"

"But you do! You just proved it to me, right now!" she accused him.

He scrubbed a hand over his wet face.

"I don't...I don't love you, Katharine...it's hard to explain, but I can't love you...this was a mistake...that was a mistake...Katharine...Robert is your husband, Luka...I'm not going to make that any better...I'm...I'm in love...with someone else...someone I can't have...not like you have Robert, and I won't do that to you."

"But you are the one that I want, if I can't have you then..." she began to sob.

"You will love your husband, but you can't have me...just like I can't have Helen," he looked down at the ground.

"Helen?" she looked at him through bleary eyes.

"I should go," he said suddenly.

"Wait, who's Helen?" Katharine grabbed his arm.

"It was a mistake, I shouldn't have come here. I'm hurting both you and Robert," he yanked his arm out of her grasp.

"Nikki? Don't go!" she rushed after him.

"I have to, I can't stay here," he rushed back inside and ran upstairs.

Katharine continued to follow.

"Please, Nikki, don't leave, stay, please," she begged.

"No Katharine, neither of us are in our right minds, I have to go, and you have to return to your husband and forget about me, Katharine," he pulled out his suitcase and shoved his belongings inside.

She grabbed him by the lapel and kissed him fiercely.

"I love you, Nikola, heart and soul, and I will never stop loving you," she whispered against his lips. "Please love me, Nikola, please try. Make love to me, Nikki."

He shuddered slightly and leaned into kiss her but moved his head at the last second to press the kiss to her cheek.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Fillipov," he whispered back, grabbing his coat and hat and taking his case and leaving quickly and quietly and running off into the ran trodden night.

Katharine stayed frozen up in his room, tears free-falling down her cheeks till she fell to her knees in uncontrollable sobs.

The next morning she told Robert that Nikola left for some kind of emergency to do with Niagra and sends his apologies for cutting the trip short. Robert sighed and shook his head. "Oh, Nikola, couldn't stop working even if he tried."

Katharine gave a half-hearted chuckled and fixed them both breakfast in a somber silence.

Nikola arrived in New York two days later having walked the entire way there. Luckily his vampiric stamina allowed him to survive so long without feeling much effect. Yet when he arrived home he felt oddly exhausted, not physically so, but mentally. The walk gave him lots of time to think. Of Katharine. Of Helen. Of everything he wanted and desired. Everything that was important to him.

He collapsed on the bed in his apartment and clutched his face to the sheets, inhaling their dry scent.

He heard a knock at the door.

He got to his feet to answer it.

His landlady grumbled a greeting and handed him a letter.

"For you," she growled and left.

He took the letter and opened it reading it's contents. Then folded back up and scrubbed a hand over his face. Before he pulled out his own parchment paper and inkwell and began to write.

_- I didn't know what to think when I got your letter. I wasn't expecting this from you. Are you sure this is what you want?_

_- Yes, this is what I want. I can't go on like this. I want it all or nothing._

_- We'll talk about it on my next visit. I promise we'll be alone this time._

_- There is too much at stake._

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Maha! Another confusing ending that I will explain in the next chappie. Boy, I'm tired, I should take a break..ok I will. *hears a symphony of groans* aww don't fret, I'll finish this arc before I take too long of a break, promise

This chappie had lots of goodies didn't it? A little bit of Teslen fun, a little bit of Tesla whump angst, and some James fun thrown in for good measure. A recipe of some success cake...definitely!

Reviews are most welcome...in fact...they're encouraged!

On another note. I just have to give a shout out to three writers out there who are doing something that I personally think is the awesomest and most generous thing ever, seriously I commend them for what they're doing. I read about it and was just flabbergasted with awesome you guys are reading this, chartreusian, Emmy1512 and LoveActuallyFan, you guys are like my own personaly heroes right now. If you don't know it yet, they're doing a thing on , they're writing stories and for every review they get they're going to donate 2 dollars to Sanctuary For Kids. I know awesome rights...but better details about the whole thing go to their pages and check it out, but I heard about it and just got hit with how awesome that is! I would join them but I have no income or any sizeable amount of funds stashed away to use for such awesomeness...plus, as you all know, I don't write one-shots haha...though I tried once...now it's a series...i'm cursed. But anyway, I wanted to let you guys know that I will be leaving reviews for you guys! Here are some Niko Cookies as a reward for sharing your awesomeness

I typed the word awesomeness like five times right there, hah...wow.

Well, happy back to school for everyone!

Peace, Love, and Niko Cookies for all!


	39. Potholes (4)

**Chapter 39 – Potholes (Part 4)**

_**~~~~September 1895~~~~**_

_Yes this is what I want. I can't go on like this._

Nikola paced on the dock of the New York Harbor. The world around him was full of happy greetings, sweet kisses and warm embraces for passengers going on and coming off the boat, but he did not feel the same. He was shaken, nervous, unsettled, and anxious. This was one visit he had dreaded since he had received a certain letter in his mail two weeks ago.

The last month or so had been a flurry of mixed emotions for him. First there was his whole incident with Katharine that had almost ended in disaster, and was still in a very rocky state. He had received many telegrams from her, requesting a meeting with him in private; he had not replied to any of them.

Then there was this letter. Words that could either change the course of his life, or utterly destroy it. He felt it in the breast pocket of his jacket, it crinkled with every step, he resisted the urge to pull it out and read it once more.

Soon she'd be here, he'd see her eyes and every last bit of his resolve would melt, but he had to hold strong.

He continued to pace he knew he was attracting looks but he couldn't stop fidgeting, he couldn't stand still, his mind was racing.

What if she said no? What if she shut him out completely? What if this was the end? Things had been so good lately, just like Oxford except better because she was his, he shared with her something very few men had shared before him. But it had gotten to a point where he wasn't satisfied with just this, he wanted more, he wanted her, and he knew on some level she felt the same way.

"Nikola?" the voice rang through his thoughts and he froze still.

He spun to meet her blue eyes. There he went, melting like ice under a blazing sun.

He didn't stop to think, or even greet her. He closed the gap between them and cupped her face in his hands and pulled her to him in a searing kiss.

He pulled back and gasped almost sheepishly.

"Hello," he said with a shy grin.

Helen laughed, her arms had somehow wound themselves around him, holding him, and he was still holding her.

"Miss me?" she chuckled.

"Just a little," he shrugged jokingly.

"Just a little?" she smirked deviously, just slightly grinding her hips against him. He bit his lip to stifle his reaction.

"Not anymore," he glowered at her and she beamed her brightest smile at him.

Helen laughed again.

"Is this why you asked me down here so urgently?" she eyed him suspiciously. "I do have work to do and patients to look after you know. I can't just take a boat trip down here every time you get lonely."

"No, I assure you, I didn't trick you down here for that," he rolled his eyes. "I just can't help it when I see you…you bring it out of me."

He noticed the young worker carrying her bags behind her. He tossed the boy a coin.

"I'll take them from here," Nikola extracted himself from Helen's embrace and gathered her luggage in his strong arms. "Shall we, milady?"

Helen nodded.

They found his carriage and climbed inside after giving the driver the directions to Nikola's home.

Helen cuddled into his the crook of his arm, absentmindedly putting her hand on his knee; she was doing that a lot lately. Nikola reveled in the comfortable position they were in for a few minutes. He loved being this close with her.

After a moment he cleared his throat to get her attention. She looked up at him with bright eyes.

"Yes," she said lazily.

"I, uh," he stumbled over his words. "M-missed you…that's all."

He berated himself inwardly.

Helen laughed.

"I know you want to tell me something, Nikola, just tell me, please, and spare me the awkward silence," she teased, moving slightly out of his arms.

"I don't think this is the right place," he muttered.

"Well, then what are we going to do in the mean time?" she said particularly mischievously.

"I…uh…"

Helen stuck her head out the window almost suddenly.

"Driver, take us for a few strolls around central park," she said with a slight blush.

"Yes ma'am," said the driver.

Nikola looked at her quite lost and confused as she closed the window and drew the curtains on both sides.

"Nikola, you should know by now that I don't like awkward silence," she grabbed his cravat and began undoing it. Nikola felt he was fifteen again, and was flustered by her forward suggestiveness.

"In here?" he cried.

"Wasn't it you who wanted to do it in the alleyway?" she teased tossing the cravat carelessly away. Her hands caressed his newly exposed neck.

"Well yes…but Helen," she climbed onto his lap, cutting whatever he was going to say short.

"Come on, Nikola, James is not here to scold us," she teased, taking off her hat and tossing it carelessly away just like she did with his cravat.

This woman was cruel sometimes.

She undid the laces at the front of her gown that caused her tightly bound chest to spill out before his eyes.

Aw damn, he thought.

She was playing dirty.

"Fine, but it will have to be quick, I think we've already reached central park," he whispered as he slid his hands under her skirts and undid the clasps on her stocking in mere seconds.

She giggled, clutching his hair in her hands.

"Pray God we hit some potholes," he muttered causing her to laugh some more. He smothered the end of it with a strong kiss.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola and Helen lay in his bed, five hours since she had arrived, in his home at the Hotel Geriach. She used the thin sheet to cover up her dignity, leaving her bare legs exposed for his delight. He lightly grazed his calloused fingers over the soft skin of her calves and thighs.

He had propped himself on one hand while she used a pillow, her arms clutched around her body modestly.

He honestly loved how self-conscious she became after sex. It was part of her adorable nature. He kissed her shoulder lightly. Listening to her regale him on all the weird things they had done together in the time that they had known each other.

"There was that abnormal chase up the big clock tower, do you remember that?" she giggled.

He kissed her shoulder again.

"I do," he chuckled. "I almost died, so you thought you'd join me."

"We spent New Years straddling the clock hands on Big Ben," she smirked.

"Yah, most people just get drunk and pass out on New Years but you and me, we know how to celebrate," he chuckled.

Helen stroked his chin slightly.

"You're accent is almost gone, did you notice that?" she asked.

"I do, I bring it out at public functions or in business meetings," he shrugged.

"Why?"" she asked him.

"To keep up appearances…it's fun," he chuckled. "I'll do it in front of you if you like?"

"Well, I sort of like this Americanized version of you," she teased.

"That's just because you know what I can do without the accent," he wiggled his eyebrows. Helen laughed light-heartedly.

"Still wish you'd shave the mustache though," she twirled the hairs of it around in her fingers.

"You like it, don't deny it," he wiggled his upper lip causing the mustache to move in a goofy manner.

Helen tugged his face down to hers and kissed him lightly.

"I prefer the man behind the mustache," she smiled sweetly.

Nikola felt the reality of why he had called down her here sink in and he sat up suddenly.

"Nikola, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing…I just remembered…I have to tell you something," he said, swinging his legs over the bed and pulling his briefs and trousers on before turning back to her.

She had sat up as he had turned his back and clutched the sheet around her.

"What is it?" she looked at him slightly worried.

"It's just…" He sucked in a breath.

"It's about our arrangement isn't it? It's about this?" he nodded and her face flushed. "Oh, I…I feel foolish."

She covered herself even more with the sheet and stood up to fetch her clothing.

"Helen, it's not like that…will you please listen?" he groaned, quickly scrubbing a hand over his face.

"Then how is it, Nikola? You bed me one more time and then tell me you don't want to do it anymore, do you know how that feels?" she growled tossing the sheet roughly on the floor clad in her undergarments.

"Just listen before you go jumping to conclusions!" he sighed. "I need to talk to you, Helen, and you need to hear me."

He went up to her and clasped her hands.

"Please," he pleaded and she relented, letting him lead her back to the bed and sit her down.

He kneeled in front of her.

"Helen…I want to end the arrangement…not because I don't want to see you anymore but because I…I think we could…I mean, I know you said you didn't want that, but…with us being like how we were in Oxford…sort of…I thought," he watched her face to find some kind of reaction, either good or bad.

The resounding slap hit him off guard.

"This has been your plan all along, hasn't it?" she growled hotly at him. He raised a hand to his cheek, blindsided by the hit. "Bed me then wed me, and win this futile one-upmanship between you and John. Well, I am not a prize, Nikola! No matter how many times you screw me!" she slapped him again before he had time to recover from the last one.

"Helen, I…" he sputtered.

"This is what this whole arrangement has been about! It's so clear!" she stood up and laughed incredulously. "I should've seen it. Everything was so meticulously planned, hoping I wouldn't figure it out until the ring was on my finger and you were dancing on John's grave."

Nikola watched her laugh cruelly, and rubbed his cheek absently.

"That whole spiel about us being friends again was good, almost fooled me, and that way you so innocently kissed me on the dock, very clever. You missed me, hah! You've been trying to screw me for a long time haven't you, you bloody bastard! Lying about your medication to drink my blood, playing the friend and a gentleman at every turn, getting me to want you on a purely sexual level just to get your chance with your little college buddy. You make me sick!"

She threw on her dress.

"And I was an idiot for not seeing right through it! You use people, Nikola! You use them and then waste them away into nothing. You may have gained special powers when you became a vampire, Nikola, but you lost whatever shred of humanity you had in return."

Nikola looked down at the floor.

"I feel so foolish," Helen turned away from him. "You asked me when you became this creature I hated so much…it was the moment you replaced my best friend with this soulless bastard…the old you would've never done this…or maybe he would have…I don't know anymore."

With that she stormed out of the apartment.

Nikola stayed frozen on the floor. His cheek was still red from where she had slapped.

Why did it never work out for him? Why did it never work out in his favor? He did everything right, he was a gentleman, he loved her as innocently as he could and as honestly, she fell for John. He was there for her in her heartbreak; she blamed it on him. He moved on, she came back. He changed his tactic with the full intention of loving her as honestly as he always had, wanting to fill the empty promises John had let down, and again, what he wanted was denied him.

He morphed into his vampiric state and stared into his elongated nails. Why was he the one continually getting screwed over?

He let out a loud snarl and morphed back into his human form.

In less than a minute he had risen to his feet, popped open a bottle of wine and drank half it's contents before smashing the bottle against the wall.

The even blurred, until he found himself by the river, clad only in his loose shirt, he hadn't even bothered to button it. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He flipped it open and looked at the small ring inside it. It had a small 14-karat diamond nestled along some smaller ones. Simple and beautiful, just as she was.

He closed the lid and angrily chucked the box into the river. The resounding cry leaving him feel ragged and his chest heaving.

Fine then. He wasn't going to be the good guy anymore if all she saw was the bad. He had offered his heart and she had torn it out of his chest and stomped all over it. Then he didn't care if she saw him as a monster or a man, frankly he couldn't tell anymore.

He vamped and snarled at the night sky, before callously turning on his heel and walking away.

_**~~~~Lexington Avenue~~~~**_

Katharine Johnson was awoken at 2:00 a.m. to the sound of knocking, rampant knocking.

She quickly grabbed her robe and put it on, descending the stairs quickly to answer the door.

She could hear it was raining outside.

She got to the door and opened it.

She was surprised to see him standing there, the rain soaking his before her. He was disheveled, his shirt buttoned up incorrectly, no vest or suit jacket.

She had never seen him like this, something bad must have happened.

"Nikki?" she asked.

He didn't respond, just sputtered the rainwater from his face. His chest was heaving like he had just ran all this way.

"Robert isn't here, he's out of town," she assumed that's who he was looking for.

"Good," he said huskily, stepping up to her and kissing her fiercely. She instantly melted into his arms, kissing him back. Her hands coming into his soaked hair. He pushed her further into the house, and against the wall, shutting the door behind them.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

*gasp* Nikola's gone to the dark side. Helen was soo mean to him, but you will understand later where I'm going with this. I know, I almost cried myself. Nikola was hoping she felt the same way and bought her a ring and everything…I know *hands out tissues* I'm a jerk, you can say it :P

I know it's taken me too long to update this, but I was dragged off to a retreat for four days, it was mandatory, but I still love you guys so I typed this up for you guys real quick to tide you over for awhile. For those who want me to continue with Moment Long Misery…you'll have to wait…I have writer's block on that one, I know how I want to end it but getting it there is a different situation all together…and if yall like, we don't wanna wait we want it now, then gohome! Imma get to it when I get to it, I'm a cut you, get outta muh life!

(Sorry, waaay too much time spent with a boy named Keddy, he speaks like that , for realz…don't ask.)

Anyways, enjoy, read, review, tell me which part broke your heart the most, and how many tissues you used up, or if you prefer you can comment on how hot you think J-Yo would look if his shirt was unbuttoned…just kidding…I already now…I seens all that and I got say I love three piece suits….if you wish you can ask me what I mean by that or for those who know you can have a little snicker to yourselves. Like imma gonna tell you ha!


	40. Your Soulless Bastard

**Chapter 40 – Your Soulless Bastard**

_**~~~~New Years Eve 1895~~~~**_

Helen twiddled her fingers together. She stared out the window of her carriage at the bright night lights of New York City. It had almost been 6 months since she had last been in the magnificent city, and with good reason she thought. He was everywhere in this town. In everyday street gossip, in the paper, in everybody's thoughts, especially hers.

She remembered the last time she saw him, quite painfully. She had reached midway across the ocean before realization had hit her, she had pushed him away quite violently, all because he was trying to be closer to her. She had spewed some crap to trick herself into running away, that it was justified to treat him that way. She had broken down in sobs, knowing she had ruined the best friendship she had ever had.

Now she was back. She didn't want to be here. She felt it in her bones, he was here, it was like she could sense how much he hated her for what she had done, what she always done…she even mentioned John. Oh, god John…like he wasn't already a problem she had to deal with. Coming back, promising he was cured, like a desperate alcoholic promising never to drink again…while still holding a bottle in his fist.

At least Nikola tried to change for her.

"What are you thinking about, darling?" asked James, who was sitting beside her. "You've been deftly quiet this entire trip."

Ah, James. What was it like for him? To have watched the five dissolve one by one because of her, being able to nothing but stand back and hope it never happened to him. He and Nigel managed to stay apart from the chaos. She was grateful for that.

Helen felt poisonous. The two men she had held the dearest, both ruined by her love. John was a hopeless wreck with a knife, and Nikola…Nikola was…well, she didn't know, she didn't want to know.

"I'm just thinking," she sighed dismissively at her friend, patting his hand assuredly.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" he asked. Damn inquisitive bugger.

"I rather not talk about it James," she sighed, her eyes trailing back to the window.

"Well, I hate to say I told you so, but…"

Helen rolled her eyes at him.

"I get it, thank you James, please skip the lecture," she huffed.

"Helen, we are going to an old friend's New Years party, can we try to enjoy the evening, please smile, once, for me?" his soft fingers pinched her cheeks lightly and she slapped them away.

"Do you promise not to bring up any of my past discretions?" she glowered at him.

"Fine," he raised his hands in surrender.

She nodded her head and looked back at the window.

"God, what if he's there?" she muttered.

"He won't be," sighed James.

"We're not talking about," she said warningly.

"Nope," he raised his hands again defensively.

"I don't want to go to this party, why are we going?" she whined.

"Because you haven't done anything this trip but go from the hotel to the site and back, you need to get out, socialize, have a normal conversation, you know, something other than burn handkerchiefs and stare out windows," James made a strange expression and it caused a light giggle to escape her stoic resolve. "My word, could that have been…a hint of amusement? A smile? It is!"

Helen tried to glare at him but was thrown into even more giggles.

"The somber Helen Magnus can laugh again, it's a New Years miracle!" he exclaimed teasingly.

"You are a horse's arse," she managed to say through her giggles.

"But it's made you laugh, I don't think you've laughed for the last six months," James smiled softly. "I missed it."

Helen smiled weakly back at him.

"Perhaps you're right, a little light company and new scenery will probably be just what I need," she grasped his fingers again. "Thank you."

The carriage began to slow and James leaned over her to peer out the window.

"We're here," he grinned and maneuvered around her to open the door. "Ladies first."

Helen let out a scoff before picking up her skirts and shuffling out into the brisk cold air of a New York winter.

She shivered as she waited for James to get out and instruct the driver, handing him a few bank notes and mumbling to him about fees.

Helen looked at the clearly lively home, she could hear the music and clinking of glasses and laughter. It was definitely a party going on inside.

James grasped her arm gently.

"Shall we go in?" he asked, looping her arm with his.

"I guess so," she said, uncharacteristically shyly.

He smiled reassuringly, patting her hand and leading her inside.

Immediately once the passed the threshold, James was pulled away in greeting to the party's host. A flurry of kisses and hugs and handshakes, leaving Helen to awkwardly hand her coat to the coat check and receive a button with a number on it.

She didn't recognize a soul in the room, she was actually surprised James knew some of them, this was a much looser party than the type they were used to. It was a melting pot of class. There was the few upper class couples, either sitting and chatting with others, or standing and smoking cigars, and some less upper class, laughing and singing, and chugging drink after drink with their fellows. Then there were the particularly loose individuals either fornicating in the shadows of the stairwell or broom closet, or publicly dancing with half their clothes unbuttoned.

Helen found a small spot, and a glass of champagne, resigning herself to her little corner of the room, hoping not to be noticed by the young men who could only swagger on two drunken feet across the room to speak to her. There was some other ladies near her, chatting away incessantly, and the noise was pounding in her brain. The smell of alcohol, cigar-smoke and cheap perfume was giving her a headache. She brought a hand to her temple and rubbed it lightly.

James finally found her again, gently nudging her.

"Helen, come I want to introduce you to a friend of mine," he said with a soft smile.

She accepted his hand gratefully.

It took her a moment before she realized they were dancing.

"James, what are you-?" she asked incredulously. Looking around them to see his hands holding her waist gently, a good distance away.

"You looked miserable, Helen, I thought this might cheer you up a bit," he smiled sweetly through his beard.

"I'm fine, really James, I just don't feel comfortable amongst all these strangers is all," she shrugged.

"Look it's almost midnight, if at that time you're still not having a good time we'll go back to the hotel," he compromised.

"Alright," she smiled weakly.

They continued dancing; he twirled her gently every so often, but kept her at a safe distance…well compared to the other, drunken couples on the dance floor.

This was a friendly dance…not what…whatever they were doing.

Helen eyed a couple in her peripheral vision. The woman's ass was practically grinding against the front of her dates pants, swaying to the beat of the music. Helen's Victorian sensibilities read that as highly inappropriate, but she seemed to be the only one who noticed.

James smirked, knowing what she was looking at.

"Some people, right?" he whispered to her.

"What?" she turned her head sharply towards him.

He gestured to the couple she had been eyeing.

"Some people have no discretion," he clarified.

"I'm sorry, I am just shocked at the display," she shook her head. "That was rude of me."

"No, I agree, shameful," he shrugged.

"I said I was sorry," she glared at him.

He laughed.

"Helen, I am not insinuating anything, just making light conversation," he smiled earnestly.

Helen bit her lip again and looked down slightly.

The silence was slightly awkward till James cleared his throat.

"Helen, we don't have to dance if you don't want to, I just thought-"

"It's not that James, this is nice, really, its just…"

"I know…we're not talking about it, remember?"

She laughed slightly.

"Right."

"I just want you to have fun tonight. Good fun, not that kind of fun," he gestured jokingly back to the couple.

Helen laughed.

"It really is shameful…at least Nikola and I had the discretion to keep it behind closed doors," she said not realizing the reference.

"I know that woman's husband too," James mumbled.

"You mean she's not-?

"Nope, he's the one smoldering hotter than his cigar over there," James gestured subtly with his head.

Helen glanced briefly to see a portly red-faced man clenching a brandy glass behind some other fellows.

"Oh my," Helen tried not to laugh. "Does she know he's-?"

"Most definitely, he's a business man," James said as if that answered everything.

"What?" Helen laughed.

"She's a housewife married to a man whose mistress is money," James clarified.

"Ah," Helen smirked. "So she's-?"

"Oh yah," James grinned.

This caused Helen to let out a harmonious laugh.

"GLINDA!" a loud shout broke through the crowd.

"Happy New Year," James whispered to Helen sarcastically. Helen covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"YOU TWO BIT JERSEY HUSSIE!" cried the husband of the woman.

He came up and shoved her dance partner away.

"HAVE YOU NO SHAME, WOMAN!"

Helen buried her face in James' shoulder to hide her face, she was nearly in tears from laughter.

"Don't act all high and mighty on me George, it's not like you haven't been socking your secretary every night for the past month!" cried the woman.

"At least I don't do it in public like a prostitute!" he shouted back.

It was James's turn to try not to laugh.

"We were dancing!"

"Do you even know his name? Or did you just choose the first one you could sink your claws into!"

"In fact, I've done five people at this party already, you just haven't noticed!"

"YOU BITCH!"

"YOU BASTARD!"

"You aren't getting any money out of me, Glinda! You'll be out so fast you're hair will turn white!"

"I hope you drown in your brandy, George!"

"Well, ladies first!"

"Frank, get my coat will you, I'm not going home with him!"

"Hah! You aren't going home at all, you're just going to go to the brothel and work for tips!"

"Oh, will I see you there?"

The couple marched out and Helen couldn't contain her laughter any more, but managed to muffle it slightly into James' suit jacket.

"Oh my god," she choked out.

"I'll say…his secretary's a man," James muttered causing another laugh from her.

"I'm sorry for that folks, but please, keep the party going," said the rather flustered host. "We have one minute till midnight folks, lets get this party back on its feet."

Just like that the room returned to its previous buzz, he music from the gramophone starting again with an even more upbeat tune. Helen and James returned to their dancing, except a tad bit closer than they had been before.

"I told you it'd be fun," whispered James.

"I love seeing a couples marriage have a complete meltdown, I think it should happen at every party," Helen joked.

"I'll make sure to invite those two next time," laughed James.

"Oh, bloody hell, I hope not," Helen laughed.

"10 seconds to midnight!" yelled someone.

"10!" shouted the entire party in unison.

Helen and James held on to each other with a laugh as they joined in the tradition.

"9!"

Helen saw some movement out of the corner of her eye.

"8!"

She turned her head and saw that a door from across the room had been opened. For some reason a feeling of dread washed over her.

"7!"

A woman stepped out of the doorway in a tipsy laugh, nearly tripping over her feet, her hand entangled in another's.

"6!"

James saw Helen's demeanor shift dramatically and he watched her eyes widen slightly.

"5!"

A foot stepped out, black shoe, long black pant leg.

"4!"

Helen's breath hitched and the dread spread throughout her.

"3!"

James' gaze shifted to where hers was.

"Helen?" he asked.

"2!"

A long torso attached to the arm that hold the woman's arm followed the legs, just as well dressed as he'd always been.

"1! Happy New Year!"

She saw him, the one man she didn't want to see.

The whole room rained with confetti, blurring her vision slightly, but she could see him through all the cheering and colored paper.

He pulled his date to him in a sloppy kiss, she pressed even closer to him, her light brown hair tousled, his bow tie undone and hanging around his neck.

Helen felt herself become green then felt herself lose color altogether.

"James…let's go," she grabbed his lapel tightly, tugging him away before he saw them.

James nodded and followed her without any protestation.

But it was too late, the crowd had them sandwiched away from the door and he lifted his lips from his date's mouth and met her eyes from across the room.

She expected him to flush and exit quickly, anything but grin and straighten up and whisper something to his date and swagger up to them.

"Helen!" he said with a wide grin. "And James! I'm not surprised! She's making her way through all of us, aren't you?"

Helen felt an anger bubble up at him.

"Nikola," she said through clenched teeth.

"What are the chances we'd be at the same party on New Years, it must be divine intervention!" Nikola chuckled, hitting James' shoulder playfully. James remained placid and unamused.

"Yes, what are the chances? We were just leaving," James interjected.

"What so soon? The party just started," Nikola smirked and grabbed a champagne glass off the waiter.

"We have an early morning," James lied easily.

"I see," Nikola grinned. "Sounds like a late night to me."

He drained the glass in one gulp.

"Your one to talk," muttered Helen.

"Aw, Helen, I'm just enjoying the festivities," he shrugged.

"Ah, Nikki! There you are!" said the woman he'd been with. "She handed him another glass and kissed him.

"Thank you darling," he smiled at her.

Helen now recognized her as none other than Katharine Johnson.

"Helen!" Katharine smiled shyly over at her. "Nice to see you again."

James did a double-take at Katharine and Helen, not sure of the interaction.

"Is this your husband?" Katharine offered her hand to James. James almost thought twice about accepting it, not knowing where it had been earlier.

"No, he's just a colleague and an old friend," said Helen.

"Charmed I'm sure," he took her hand and shook it.

"Where is Robert?" asked Helen.

Katharine's cheeks blushed slightly.

"Oh he's out of town…" Katharine said rather sheepishly.

Helen fixed a pointed gaze on to Nikola.

"Yes, Katharine here was all alone on New Years so I thought I'd take her out for the evening, you know, keep her company," Nikola smirked mischievously.

"I'm sure," Helen said sharply.

He once again drained his champagne glass, placing it on the tray of a waiter passing by.

Katharine giggled slightly.

"That must be his fifth one tonight, I don't know where he puts it," she placed a hand on his chest slightly.

Helen felt her anger bubble even further.

"Nikola can I talk to you for a moment…in private?" she said deftly calmly to him, her words biting.

"Fine," he smiled casually. "James, I'm sure you can entertain the lady in my absence."

James forced a smile at him and turned back to Katharine as Helen all but physically dragged Nikola out of the ballroom by his lapel.

She pushed past the multiple of celebrating and kissing people, through the narrow hallway, into the bathroom, tossing him inside.

He chuckled with amusement at her anger as he fell against the counter.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" she admonished at him, shutting the door behind them. "A married woman, Nikola! The wife of a friend! For god's sake, Nikola! What if Robert were to have found out? Is that what you want, Nikola? To ruin every friendship you ever had for a couple of kicks?"

Nikola laughed and turned to the mirror, dunking a cloth into the basin and wiping his hands with it.

"Oh, Helen, green is not a good color on you," Nikola snickered, receiving a particularly harsh shove from the blonde.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she cried.

He shrugged simply which earned him a hard slap across the cheek. His leg buckled but he managed to catch himself on the counter. He laughed again and hoisted himself easily to his feet again.

"You are acting like a drunkard, a reckless and pathetic drunkard," she shoved him again.

"Were you expecting anything different?" he shrugged again.

"What are you talking about?" she glared at him.

"Well, apparently I'm just a soulless bastard who uses everyone for his own gain, if I'm not mistaken I'm just living up to my job description," his tone switched to being icy in a quick flash and Helen froze momentarily, the comment throwing her off guard.

Helen opened her mouth to respond but found no words to say.

Nikola laughed again, a particularly cruel and heartbreaking laughter.

"Now she has no words, no cutting response, do I detect shame?" Nikola taunted. "A sense of guilt perhaps?"

"It wasn't…it's not like that!" she finally caught up to him.

"I remember it being exactly that Helen…I had asked you for something deeper and you shoved it in my face! Accusing me of debaucherous scheming, called me sick! A soulless bastard! I recall every word. This time I just decided to live up to expectation. Katharine wouldn't have been my first choice as I do love Robert dearly, but she was willing, she had been practically throwing herself at me the last few times I'd visited them, and at first I let my moral standard get in the way, but you opened my eyes! I already have no soul apparently, let's just add heartless and unloyal to the list. I won't have to die and face my sins! I like forever in this skin as a monster, so screw it!"

Helen shoved him again.

"Do you not think that I hate myself every moment that I think of that evening? There are no words to make up for how I treated you, I overreacted, I spewed words that weren't meant for you, anger not meant for you! I'm sorry! I'm only human!"

"And I'm not!" he shouted, the loudness nearly making her jump. The two froze in a tense second, looking deep into each other's eyes, searching for something.

Without warning they collided, lips, hands, and bodies. The kiss was hungry and suffocating, sucking the air out of the room and leaving them panting, but desperate and even more unsatisfied.

In a split second, Nikola had knocked the basin and other items off the counter and plopped Helen on to it, her back pressing against the cool mirror with Nikola standing in between her legs, ravishing her throat as if it was an oasis in a desert. Her hands gripped his slick hair, violently tugging on it to pull his head off her clavicle so she could rope him into another searing kiss. His pants were wet from the spilt water from the basin and she could feel the wet fabric rubbing against her thighs, driving her even further to him, grinding her hips against his.

He took no time in removing the clasps on her stockings and shoving what he could of her skirts up past her hips.

In the back of his mind he could hear the entire party join in a round of Auld Lang Syne, effectively muting the couple in the bathroom. Cheers and clinking of glasses, another bottle of champagne was opened with a loud pop! No one in the room heard any of the cries, no one, not even James heard a name shouted loudly amongst the din of the party. They didn't even blink when the sound of glass shattering filled up the room of the bathroom at the end of the narrow hallway.

Nikola panted against Helen's heaving bosom. Her ragged breaths rang in his ears almost as loudly as the celebrations beyond the door. It had been quick and dirty, and violent. His eyes moved towards his clawed hand still embedded amongst the glass and wood of the mirror. With a grunt he wrenched it out, causing more glass to dislodge and land with a tiny tinkle on to the counter. His hand healed almost instantly, only leaving minor traces of his blood on his hand, he'd wipe that off later. He stayed pressed against, listening to her heartbeat.

"I don't," she gasped, fighting through her breathlessness. "I don't want to see you again."

He sucked in air and nodded slightly.

"I know," he gasped, his bloody hand coming to rest on the edge of the counter to keep himself upright.

"You're a…a soulless bastard," she growled, still out of breath.

"Yes, but…I'm your...soulless bastard," he chuckled weakly, not having enough energy to vocalize it completely.

"Now, get your bloody hands off me," she growled.

Without protest Nikola pushed himself up to full height, tucking his modesty back in his trousers and stealing the handkerchief neatly tucked in between her breasts to wipe his hands with. Helen scowled at him but he just grinned back.

"A token of your affections," he mocked her, tucking the handkerchief into his breast pocket.

"I hate you," she smoldered, slapping him again.

"I think I'll live," he laughed, leaning against the wall, watching as she rolled her stockings back up and quickly tried to fix her appearance, grateful she had left her hair curled and down this evening.

"Don't tell James," she warned.

"Helen, I never fuck and tell," he grinned widely.

She hopped off the counter, readjusting her skirts then shoving him out of her way, finally annoyed to the brim with him.

She couldn't believe she had felt sorry for him, she was going to find James and then head back to the hotel and forget this night, that any night with him had ever happened.

Before she could leave entirely he grasped her shoulder, spinning her around and kissing her soundly.

"Happy New Years, Helen," he grinned after pulling back. She took no hesitation in kneeing him in the crotch, not even waiting around to see him collapse against the bathroom wall.

Nikola's strained laughter fell through his clenched teeth, the pain would subside eventually. He looked back at the broken mirror and his smirk grew.

He was a bastard, but damn if it didn't have some perks…

He straightened up and slicked back his hair, fixed his suit then emerged back into the party.

Helen marched straight up to James, grasping his arm.

"James, let's go," she demanded more than asked.

"Of course, darling, it was nice meeting you Miss, uh?" James looked at Katharine.

"Fillipov," she answered for him and smiled sweetly.

Helen felt sick to her stomach.

"James, now!" she ordered.

"What's the rush Helen?" Nikola strode back to Katharine's side, kissing her cheek gently.

"Where'd you two run off to?" asked James.

"We just had some things we needed to…beat out of each other…we worked it out," Nikola gave a small half smirk, earning him another glare from Helen.

"I've had my fill of partying and social interaction, we have business to attend to in the morning, so, James," Helen hinted to none-too-subtly.

"I hope you get lots of rest, Helen…you too, James, drive safely," Nikola took Katharine's hand, kissed. "Dance my darling?"

She giggled softly.

"I would be delighted," she smiled and Nikola led her away in to the crowd of people with a leer and a devious grin.

Helen watched their every move with a burning scowl.

James yanked his arm out of Helen's tight grasp and turned to her.

"Are you going to tell me what all that was about?" he chided her with a brotherly glare.

Helen turned to look at her old friend, feeling her skin go flush.

"We're not talking about it."

With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

_****_Wow, a bit M-ish don't you think? Sorry about that, I tried to keep it as clean as possible but with these two, yeesh!

Anyways, don't cry my little tesla troopers, Nikola will see the error of his ways before anything seriously bad happens...and Helen won't hate him forever, and least now you know she isn't completely stupid...and Nikola...well it was his turn to be a douche, I'm sorry for that. This was like an awkward ex-battle...you kind of feel sorry for James and Katharine huh? Don't worry, James will get over it..it's Katharine whose heading for a little heartbreak (oop spoilers!) Not really because you can sort of deduct that from...well, history and other things.

Now the Next bit, i'm thinking we'll take a bit of a time jump...Tesla and Helen need some time to cool off...sorry for the tiny bit of language btw...if it offends...I promise I won't do too much more of it...I only use them because I think that is the only thing he would say at that moment...Nikola is being a little pissy at this time...I bring back some of his earlier sweetness...he'll get a wake up call and snap out of this dark demon. SO the time jump...if i think it over properly will probably land us somewhere around the Worth Affair...I haven't decided if Worth will actually make an appearance or it'll just be alluded to...I'll think about it. But guess what...John gets to come back and be the bad guy again! Yay!

As for Helen and Nikola...you'll see :P I'm not saying a thing!

Read and Review...and hey, send me a little hello...I like them :) I wonder if I should do another little contest on the next chapter...like guess who is Helen going to slap next...hmmm...maybe...for now, just tell me that I'm not ruining your favorite tv couple :) I'm kidding...Teslen shall live forever!


	41. Consistencies

**Chapter 41 – Consistencies**

_**~~~~England, 1905~~~~**_

Nikola was being held against his will.

He had been minding his own business…and planning the financial downfall of JP Morgan when a group of well-dressed, well armed, gentlemen burst into his Colorado home and dragged him heel to cuff from America to the United Kingdom. Forced into a car, dragged up Parliament's steps and led through its winding corridors like a dangerous criminal being led to this trial. They had yet to remove the handcuffs from his wrists.

"Step this way, sir," said one of the men.

"Sir? Well, how courteous," muttered Nikola sarcastically, forcing his Serbian tongue as he usually did in front of the public, to keep himself interesting, he guessed. The only one he shown his fading accent to had been Helen. To the rest of the world he made sure he was just as Serbian as ever.

He grumbled something else as under his breath about his escort as he walked past the gentlemen and into the room. He paused immediately upon seeing three familiar faces.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal scientist, come to visit us at last," teased Nigel. He sat closest to the door, his hands between his knees. James sat beside him similarly.

"I was dragged here against my will," Nikola scowled at him.

"Join the club," said John's eerie deep voice from where he had been standing, facing the wall.

Nikola did all he could do to keep himself from growling at the man's presence.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply.

"We were all dragged here against our will, old friend," shrugged John nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?" Nikola asked.

Without a word all three men lifted up their similarly bound wrists for Nikola to see.

"Ah, so it's not just me, I thought it was persecute a foreigner day down at Parliament," Nikola fixed his glare at John. "It wouldn't be the first time."

John pretended to feign innocence. "Why Nikola, you couldn't mean me?"

"I precisely mean you, John. I hope they brought us here to convict you once and for all. If it will cut down on costs I'll gladly help," Nikola sneered at John.

John lunged but was caught by James.

"Gentlemen! Can we wait for the verdict before we make any plans to annihilate each other?" Nigel stood up and grabbed Nikola's shoulder to steady him.

"I'm sure Nikola's been planning my demise ever since I stole his little college crush," Nikola lunged at him again for saying that.

"Is that all she meant to you?" he snarled, Nigel held him back as best he could.

"You know very well she is the world to me!" John lunged at him as well, only to be held back by James.

"Really? Is that why you tried to kill her?"

"Will you both be civil!" James tossed John towards one side of the room and Nigel pushed Nikola to the other side. "We are all here for god knows what reason, and you are both under scrutiny in regards to Helen, so you should both just sit down and shut yourselves!"

Nikola clenched his jaw but was not willing to argue with James' point, especially in front of John. Silently, he plopped himself on the bench and pouted while John returned to his place by the wall.

"Why are we here anyways?" piped up Nigel, sitting beside Nikola.

"I have no ideal Nigel, nobody will tell us anything," sighed James.

"And where is Helen?" asked Nikola, not for any other reason than the fact that the four of them were here and she wasn't.

"She had some kind of meeting today, she left at noon," answered James. "But it is odd that she is not here. The only thing that links the four of us is the Five, so…"

"Maybe she asked us here?" offered Nigel.

"If this meeting was for today it must've been planned in advance…I only just arrived here after a two week prison escort from Colorado," muttered Nikola. "And I doubt it was Helen who wanted to see me."

"What'd you do, old boy?" John perked up at the small confession, turning once again to face them.

"I bit something," Nikola said sarcastically. Like he was going to tell Ol' Jack, that he had slept with his precious fiancé multiple times then got rejected flat when he tried to ask her for more. If John didn't kill him, he would laugh his ass off, both were unacceptable results.

James gave him a look, understanding that Nikola had no desire to tell John about his failed romance with Helen.

John chuckled lightly, then grumbled something and leaned against the wall.

"It's nice to know that we can all get together and chum around like we used to," said Nigel sardonically. James glared at him then sat down and crossed his legs sternly.

The door opened, breaking the tense silence between the four of them. Two men walked in and unlocked the handcuffs around each of their wrists.

"Stand up," ordered one of them. Wordlessly they all complied.

They were forced into a line, Nigel at the front followed by James, and Nikola after that.

"Hold out your arms," instructed one of the men.

Nigel did so without protest.

"If we were carrying weapons wouldn't it have been more prudent to confiscate them before leading us into the big important government building," grumbled James with a raised eyebrow.

"Y'never know with you four," muttered the man standing next to the door.

"Oh really, I wasn't aware we had built up a reputation," James eyed the man suspiciously. Nigel smirked with a silent scoff.

"He probably referring to Jack over here," muttered Nikola with a teasing tone.

"Really? Did the terrestrials tell you that?" John replied easily.

Nikola tensed.

"I discovered radio waves! Instant communication from far off distances, the measly little journalist misquoted me. Probably was paid off by the devil," he grumbled.

"Edison is not the devil Nikola," James rolled his eyes. He spread his arms, as it was his turn to be searched for weapons.

"Well, then explain the tail," Nikola joked with a straight face.

"Is there some sort of explanation for all this?" Nigel asked the man at the door.

"You'll see through this door," the man turned the handle and opened the old oak door into the room.

Nigel wordlessly walked through, all the sudden hearing his name being uttered in introduction. His eyes moved from the floor to meet the voice. Nigel was a more than a little confused.

In front of him, having tea, was the Prime Minister and none other than the last and missing member of the Five.

That couldn't be good, he thought. He quietly shifted to the back of the room.

James came in shortly after. The expression on his face similar to Nigel's, he shared a look with Helen, just as Nigel did, a mix of understanding and a silent question that only Helen could read.

Nikola came after, hearing his name being called. He was thinking, god I hope I don't have to give a lecture. He smiled at the idea, but as soon as he stepped in his smile faltered slightly. There she was, just as perfect as he remembered her, as he always remembered her. He couldn't help his eyes from feasting on her entire form for a quick second. She was beautiful, and his heart wanted to leap out of its chest and into her arms. He contained himself with a small half smile, before following Nigel and James to the back of the room. As he passed her their eyes connected for a brief moment, she nodded to him slightly, he took as good to see you, not I'm going to kill you later, but just to be safe he moved to the farthest point of the room.

He kept his eyes on her though, he couldn't see her face but he could imagine. Like a flood the images of their brief romance danced through his head. He had missed her, oh how he had missed her. He grinned slightly as she promptly tried to ignore John's presence…at least he was still held in lighter favor than him.

She must've liked seeing him without the mustache, he pondered. He had shaved it off out of anger when Marconi had been credited for his invention. Then, under protest, he had refused to grow it back…that and it itched like crazy.

He began to wonder aimlessly as Helen sat back down to resume her conversation with the Prime Minister. He didn't really much are what it was about, he was too distracted with his own thoughts.

_**~~~~Summer 1898~~~~**_

She loved to be secretive, very secretive. She loved to skirt along the precipice of almost being caught, stealing a kiss when her husband looked away, placing her hand on his knee when they sat down to a meal together. She loved to feign sleep until he would drift off, then sneak out into the garden to met her dirty little secret in the gazebo of the summer estate.

Any time he would go off to write by the river, or for a walk into town to pick up provisions, they were sneaking around, precariously stealing moments the entire two weeks they'd been here.

Yes, Katharine Johnson loved secrets.

Nikola Tesla, however, did not.

Nikola bit his bottom lip to muffle a groan as Katherine writhed beneath him.

Robert was out for a long afternoon walk.

They always did it in his bed in the attic bedroom overlooking the garden. Never in hers, in theirs, Nikola made a point of that.

Her fingers stroked against his face, she loved his face as he'd discovered. Her thumbs rubbed over his mustache dumbly as they moved together. It broke his concentration; it was irritating, and the slight tugs she gave it hurt.

Helen had always gone for his hair; he liked that, the nails scraping along his skull, clutching the back of his neck. She loved to mess it up, always teased him about how much slick he put in it, and how, with just the slightest amount of give, it cow-licked like crazy.

Katherine didn't like the feel of the hair grease so she rarely touched his hair, but she loved his face.

He was drawn to the neck, call it cliché, and he despised giving in to mythical legend but, as a vampire, the neck was a very pleasant and intoxicating place. Every time he leaned in though she tried to meet him with her lips, blocking his path to that delicate spot. Sometimes he'd be met with chin, and they'd fumble against each other as he'd try to make another go for her neck, while she would try to capture his lips with her teeth, ending up with more drool than anything.

Helen had always tempted him with her neck, she'd let him tease, nuzzle, and occasionally bite, but only with human teeth. The one time he'd bitten Katherine she'd nearly boxed his ears with her shriek of laughter, then she told him not to do that because it felt weird. This whole thing felt weird if he was to be honest.

He loved Katherine, he did, sometimes more than he should, but as the weeks went by at the summer cottage, and their trysts were becoming more and more frequent, he found himself nitpicking all the minor things, and thinking about her; Helen.

It had been…long. Too long since they're last meeting, and the memory of it was bittersweet. Stubbornly though, he couldn't crawl back to her and tell her he missed her, then he'd have to admit that he was an arse that evening in the bathroom and that he loved her, deeply, too deeply.

What was he doing? _He shook his head. Katherine, I'm with Katherine, stop thinking about Helen and think of Katherine._

He groaned, and not with pleasure, in fact, it took all his effort not to roll his eyes, Dang mustache tug, what was she trying to do, rip it off?

Nikola sucked in a deep breath, he felt like he was working way too hard for this, and no neck either. He placed a hand on her hip and shifted her, just slightly so, coaxing her to do…something, anything with her lower half.

Katherine was great, he knew she was, and he was being more nitpicky than he ought to be, but it was all the secrets, the lying, the knowing that any moment Robert could walk in and become utterly destroyed at seeing his two most beloved people betraying him in his own home.

That was the clincher. It had been different when he was out of town in New York, they'd meet once or twice at his apartment or at a hotel, squander off what little fortune he had left for kicks, and he wouldn't have to think about it when he and Robert would sit and have a brandy together. It was different; it didn't feel like he was stealing his best friend's wife.

Then he had been invited to spend 3 weeks with them at the cottage, where this whole affair began, and then the veil of pretense was lifted from his eyes and the hard walls of reality sunk in. It was starting to hit him.

All the secrets, the lies, he hated them, and he hated even more how much she loved them.

He stilled suddenly and shook his head.

"Nikki?" Katherine asked breathlessly. She sat up, eyeing his sudden change.

"I'm sorry, I just…" he ran his hand through his hair, missing the feel of fingers running across his scalp.

He got up without explanation and pulled on his underclothes. Katherine watched him intently.

"It's just that…Robert…might be home soon, we should probably…straighten up," sighed Nikola.

"He's gone on a spiritual walk, Nikki, he won't be back for at least another hour," she stood and followed him, carrying the sheet with her.

"I think I need some air, Katherine," she sighed again. "I need to think about something."

"One of your inventions, right?" she smiled innocently.

"Exactly, it's been bugging me all afternoon," he laughed easily with a small shrug.

"That explains it," she nodded, caressing his jaw. "Always the inventor, but I understand, go, I'll just have a surprise waiting for you later."

She kissed his cheek then grabbed her clothes and headed to down the staircase to the small bathroom.

Nikola finished dressing quickly and then walked outside, opting to stay true to his word and inhale some fresh air, sort out his mind possibly. Nature always did help him see things clearer.

He didn't know what was wrong with him, he hadn't really thought about Helen since that New Years party. There had been some brief thoughts now and then, but never when he was with Katherine, not like this. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since he agreed to this trip; she would be appalled with him, he knew she would. He found himself, day by day, becoming more and more uncomfortable with the affair. Robert was a friend, a good friend, and every time Katherine uttered I love you into hi ear he felt a heavy wave of guilt in the pit of his gut.

"Nikola?" Nikola jumped at the sound of his friend's voice.

"Oh Luka, you startled me," Nikola placed a hand on his chest to still is pounding heart.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, I know how you are, I'll leave you," Robert excused himself politely.

"No, stay. I wasn't thinking about anything important, it in fact involves you," Nikola summoned up some courage, stealing himself for his confession. He had to tell him something.

"Really? How so?" asked Robert.

"Well, it's about you and Katherine, and…"

"Nikola, I know."

Nikola felt his words freeze in his throat.

"Y-you know?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes, and I understand these last few years have been extremely tough on you, it's only natural to bend under the stress of it all," said Robert. Nikola's eyes widened with confusion.

"N-natural?" Nikola carefully studied Robert's expression.

"What with Westinghouse going bankrupt, Niagara, your lab burning down…that's why Katherine and I have endeared to get you away from all that, if only for a weekend," Robert smiled kindly at him. "You are our dear friend, Nikola."

Nikola sighed with semi-relief, as he understood what he was talking about.

"Oh, uh, thank you Luka. But I don't deserve such kindness, I've hardly been as good of a friend in return," Nikola felt a pang of guilt strike him.

"Of course you have, just having you as a friend has been a privilege," Robert patted his shoulder. "I trust you with my life Nikki, and that of my wife's."

Nikola felt another pang.

"I'm sorry, Luka," Nikola groaned, sliding a hand over his face.

"For what, Nikola?" asked Robert.

"For…not treating you…and Katherine as I should," Nikola felt his courage melt under Robert's friendly gaze. He couldn't keep betraying him this way. It had to end; he realized that now. No more lies, no more secrets.

_**~~~~England 1905~~~~**_

Nikola snapped out of his thoughts hearing the Prime Minister's voice break through the walls of his genius mind.

"You see we've known about you and your colleagues for some time," said the man, Nikola was already sick of the sound of his voice. "And we've given you your head because we thought the day would come when the five of you might prove useful."

"Well, I'm flattered," mumbled John with a facetious smirk.

"That day is here," continued the Prime Minister, ignoring the criminal. "I'm proud to offer you now the opportunity to serve your country."

Nikola snapped into attention at that. He couldn't help himself, it was the perfect set up.

"I'm Serbian," he said in his accented tongue. He found it quite funny actually, he hasn't been considered or ever considered himself a member of the British kingdom, and this man knew it if he happened to know all else.

James bit his lip to keep the amusement out of his voice.

"Just ignore him," he said to the Prime Minister. He was definitely thinking at the moment, Helen actually had a type…something to do with brash and sarcastic men. He could also see the amusement in Helen's face, but he had a feeling it had nothing to do with what Nikola had said, more to how he said it.

"You are aware of a gentleman called Adam Worth?" said the Minister.

Nikola smirked slightly, it's been awhile since he's heard that name, an intelligent if rather precocious little Irishman, or at least, Nikola always assumed he was Irish, his accent was awfully weird in his ears. Course, he never bothered to ask.

"You mean the pipsqueak from school?" asked Nigel.

Nikola smirked even wider, so it wasn't just him who thought of the man as tiny. That's nice.

"No…once perhaps, but now…a genius mind warped by rage and mania, and, I might add, quite a headache for our Secret Service Bureau," replied the Minister warily.

John just grinned and shrugged another cheeky, unnecessary remark.

Nikola however noted how Helen and James seemed to share a look at the mention of this their old school boy's madness.

"And I would dispute the term genius," Nikola said, mostly to keep up appearance instead of showing the whirring of his mind as he continued to watch his old friends squirm where they stood.

Helen was hiding something, Helen and James were both hiding something, and he wanted to know what it was.

_**~~~~Summer 1898~~~~**_

The night sky weighed heavily on Nikola's shoulders. He was to meet Katherine again tonight, at the gazebo…for the last time. He had been pondering what he was going to say all afternoon. Now it was time, he heard the door from downstairs open and shut, he peered out the window at to see her escaping off the veranda, wearing a light summer dress, or maybe it was her nightgown, he couldn't tell.

He inhaled a deep sigh and grabbed his waistcoat from where it was resting on top of his already pre-packed suitcase. Just in case he had to make a quick getaway.

Nikola quietly made his way down the steps and through the door, following cautiously. As he approached the gazebo he saw no sign of Katherine, and stood a little perplexed at where she could be before continuing on towards the gazebo. Was she playing a game? He wondered if he'd find some kind of whimsical note holding a clue to her location, he really didn't want to find a whimsical note, that'd mean he'd have to play along instead of tell her the straight up truth.

He approached the stairs of the gazebo, ascending them slowly, still seeing no sign of her. His feet reached the landing just seconds before he was grabbed out of the shadows and thrown against the pillar of the gazebo in a passionate kiss.

The shadow of the pillar against the moonlight hid her from view but he knew it was her from everything else. The way she smelt, the way she felt against him. This was going to be harder than he thought.

Nikola broke the kiss sharply, pulling his lips away from hers.

"Katherine, stop," he said softly.

"Nikki?" she looked up at him, knowing the tone of his voice, it was serious, despite being genteel.

"Katherine, I can't do this anymore," he groaned, his body leaning against the pillar in defeat. "All this sneaking around behind Robert's back…like this…I can't do it, Robert doesn't deserve this, not from me, not from us."

Katherine stood back, he could tell her heart was sinking.

"But…but I love you Nikki," the moon shone in her eyes and he say them tears reflected in them.

"I know…and I love you as well…but not like this…not if it will hurt Robert in the process. He is one of the best friends I have…and I'm betraying him…it was different…when we were in New York, screwing around when he was on business trips…it was like it wasn't you and it wasn't me…it was a strange man and a beautiful woman…no names…no attachments, but here…I can't do it…I won't do it…not anymore. I'll start hating myself…and you…I'll start hating you as well," Nikola let out a long sigh.

"So, it over then," she turned to hide her face from him.

"Yes…Katherine, I know it feels right…to you…right now, but it's killing me…it will kill Robert…we weren't meant to be together…like this, despite how we feel or how you feel…"

"Don't…don't lie to me Nikki…I know what this is about…it's Helen, isn't it?"

Nikola swallowed hard.

"What? How do you…?"

"I'm not blind Nikki, I've seen how you look at her…even at that party…oh god, the party," realization dawned on her slightly. "I was just a distraction, wasn't I, Nikki? A convenient distraction so you didn't have to think about the woman you actually wanted…which isn't me."

Nikola stepped up to her, throwing his arms around her in a friendly embrace.

"Kathy…I…" he stumbled over his words. "You were not just a fling, please believe me when I say that."

She leaned into his embrace, letting him hold her comfortingly.

"It'd be different if it weren't for Robert," Nikola sighed, it was a half-lie half-truth, because she was right…he wanted Helen, he missed her more and more each day and he hated himself more and more each day knowing that he had driven her away with his feelings. Sometimes he wished he had never taken Rose's advice to try and woo Helen, he realized that now. Despite how he had reveled being in her intimate affections that brief time, the constant heart break was going to last longer, it would've been better to do without it at all.

Nikola pulled out of the embrace, gazing into Katharine's sad eyes. He leaned in and kisses her tenderly, a brief kiss, but enough to still her tears. "I'm going to leave tomorrow, I think you and Robert should spend some time together."

"I've been a fool haven't I, pursuing a relationship outside of my perfectly happy marriage…maybe not so perfect, I feel so alone Nikki, Robert is a few years older than I, and at the time of our union it was good, but then I met you and…I just got confused…I am confused…inside, my heart and my head are telling me different things. I do love you, Nikki, and I don't think that will ever go away, but I have been selfish, not even thinking about what I was doing to you…can you forgive me?"

Nikola smiled softly.

"Of course, Katharine, you are a beautiful, bright, intelligent woman, a man would have to be a fool to not notice that…but it wasn't all you…you were right…I was using you to distract myself from...well…other things. We're both feeling confused and foolish…that's why I think we should stop before it gets out of hand, for Robert…and for us," Nikola stepped away from her. "I'll stay the evening and leave in the morning…so Robert doesn't feel like I abandoned him again."

Katharine chuckled.

"You know, Nikki, in another life…I would hope I married someone like you," she kissed his cheek softly.

"You have…he's in there sleeping," Nikola watched her eyes light up as she looked back at the house. Without a word she smiled and squeezed his hand slightly then left the gazebo, sprinting back to the house. Nikola watched her retreating form.

He dragged his finger through his hair again then sat on the step of the gazebo to look at the brilliant country sky. He never saw a view like that in the city, he barely saw the sky as a matter of fact.

A light in the Johnson's bedroom flickered to life. Nikola smirked slightly, he'd go for a walk, it would be nice to have some time to think to himself.

Everyone got a happy ending…but him. He was in love with the one person in the world who never wanted to love again, and he may have hurt as well…he was a bastard. Nikola walked down to the lake and skipped a stone across it's moonlit surface. Too many distractions…too many disappointments…he needed to return to his work, away from all these distractions, some place he could lock himself away into to pour out his mind on to paper, into schematics, or prototypes…some place where he could forget.

_**~~~~England 1905~~~~**_

The Five sat in the large study in the Sanctuary. James sat in his large chair drinking a brandy, John sat coolly across from him on the settee. John knew that if it weren't under these exact circumstances he wouldn't be allowed past the front gate, and even so, James made sure he stayed a moderate distance away from her.

Nigel stood by the door, leaning against the wall, fingering his specialized gun in case anything went awry. Helen had left the room just briefly to do something, and Nikola analyzed the state of her office. There were several newspaper clipping, some of possible abnormal sightings, and the most interesting was an article on the infamous Father Magnus, apparently gone missing in Mecha almost over a year and a half ago.

Nikola flittered his gaze back to James, then back to the clippings bemusedly.

"James, a question if I may?" he asked.

James' steel gaze moved to Nikola.

"You're still here? I thought you'd be running the new operation in the Americas," he met James' gaze.

"The project was scrapped," James said coolly.

"Really? Why?" asked Nikola.

"Please, you know why," James rolled his eyes.

"No, I don't, all I see are a few newspaper clippings about our old friend Dr. Mag-"

"He went missing, yes, and we decided that until he was found we would halt anymore efforts in establishing a new Sanctuary, the investigation is still pending, I've been in contact with the investigative service in Israel, helping with the case. We've found nothing."

"Wouldn't be the first time," John piped in with a sardonic grin.

James' gaze snapped to him sharply and Nikola could see him using all his effort to keep his emotions in check.

"How did he go missing?" Nikola continued.

"We don't know, the team he had with him searched for any sign of him for several days before they reported him gone…it's rather bizarre," James said as calmly as he could manage while still in a locked gaze with John.

"My condolences," Nikola said with a slight bow.

James scoffed.

"Thank you, Nikola," Nigel piped in, he was getting rather frustrated with all of their conduct, especially John and Nikola.

Nikola half a small half-smile to Nigel, then turned to rest in the furthest chair, cradling his wine glass in his hand.

After a few silent moments James stood up.

"I'm going to go see what is keeping Helen," sighed James.

Nikola perked up and jumped out of his seat.

"I'll join you, I'd like to see the old girl myself," he said chipperly, following James out of the study despite his deep and annoyed scowl. Luckily John did not invite himself along as well.

James walked quickly but Nikola managed to fall into step beside him quite quickly.

"Pardon me, Nikola, for saying, but I really don't think Helen wants to see you," James said brusquely.

"I know, I just used that as an excuse to follow you, I actually only really wanted to talk to you," Nikola nearly walked past James as he stopped abruptly.

"Excuse me?" James stared Nikola down.

"James, you may have an excellent intuitive eye, but you have a truly horrible poker face, always have. I may be the only one, but I saw the way you and Helen shared a little look during our little meeting with the Parliament lackey."

"That was the Prime Minister," sighed James.

"There's something you two are not saying, something about Adam Worth that goes beyond our old college days, something you did or know he did that would explain why he's suddenly become a megalomaniac," Nikola stood his ground, matching James' gaze eye to eye.

"It's nothing," James pushed past Nikola and kept walking.

"That's a lie and you know it," Nikola followed James. "Tell me James…is Helen in danger?"

Nikola clasped his friend's shoulder and James' demeanor melted.

"It's not like that…it was a few years back…1898 sometime, Adam came to me and Helen, to ask our assistance, for his daughter," sighed James.

"He had a daughter?" Nikola raised his eyebrow, how did that little man procreate.

"Yes, Immogen, she was suffering from a rare blood disease…"

"And he came to you guys to cure her?" coaxed Nikola.

"No, someone had, uh, kidnapped her…it's hard to explain, but anyways, the fact of the matter is, we found her, a few days later, she had been crushed by some fallen debris…the poor man was nearly wracked with torture...I believe that could be the cause to his destructive behavior now. The man lost the most important thing in his life, way too early," sighed James.

"How old was she?" asked Nikola, he was taking in all the information.

"15, a very sweet girl, you could see why he considered her his greatest treasure, it's a real shame really."

"There's something else," Nikola inquired, something was missing, something he was deliberately leaving out.

"Well, me and Helen were the first on the scene and well, he blamed us for not helping him find her quick enough."

"But you were helping him, right?" asked Nikola, still uncertain of his friend's tale.

"It's hard to explain, he had dismissed us from his services due to a…small altercation…it's nothing, but he still directed his anger towards us…mostly Helen."

"Helen? But why?" Nikola prodded, needing the answers to better ensure Helen's safety.

"It's nothing, Helen is not in danger, if he were to try to harm us in any way he would've done so by now, his destruction is aimed at a much larger audience, possibly global, that is the danger of Adam Worth, I am merely stating the probable cause of it, not suggesting that the Sanctuary, or dear Helen will become his target."

Nikola still wasn't convinced, but decided to drop it.

"How has she…?"

"Fine, despite circumstances," James answered sharply. "These last few years haven't been easy on her, and you have been no help either."

Nikola looked down at his hands.

"I'm sorry," he muttered sheepishly.

"Don't apologize to me, Nikola, she's the one you unabashedly screwed around with, it's her that deserves to hear it, and I won't tell her for you."

"I know, and I will, just…don't tell John," Nikola whispered, being cautious that the teleporting maniac wasn't just around the corner.

"Don't wory, Nikola. You screwed up hugely but you could never cause as much damage as he did, you at least have the presence of mind to own up to your failures as a human being."

Nikola frowned at James…just like him to insult and compliment him at the same time.

Nikola was about to respond when Helen marched into the hallway excitedly.

"James! There you are!" she came up to him. "I think I have something on Adam, but we should move quickly."

Nikola didn't realize he was holding in his breath since she had entered.

"Nikola stop standing there like a freeloader, if I'm right he's planning something big, and we have only a matter of time," she hit his shoulder, and Nikola felt even more sheepish.

"Yes, of course…tell me how I can help."

"Follow me, and grab the others, we'll need all hands on deck."

_**~~~~Colorado Springs, 1899~~~~**_

Nikola stepped off the train at the Colorado Springs station, the smoke from the engines temporarily clouding his view of the picturesque mountain village.

He had spent the last 9 months or so looking for a place to continue his experiments, away New York. It had taken him all this time to come here, to Colorado Springs.

The trip to the hotel felt long and quiet. The Alta Vista Hotel, his new temporary home he surmised.

He was welcomed by a group of reporters, inquiring what genius he'd come up with next. When asked why he was here he simply replied.

"I come here for work."

Then as if fast-forwarding through the next few minutes he was at his door, room 207, divisible by 3…that's good.

He entered inside locking the door behind him.

Alone at last.

He plopped his suitcase on to the bed and began to unpack it. It wasn't a lot, he really didn't need a lot, all he needs was a few spare clothes and his materials, besides his assistant would be coming with the rest.

At the top of the pile of stuff in the case was the small silver locket, why he'd kept it he didn't know, he didn't even know why he had gotten it made, it just seemed to follow him wherever he went. She always did.

He put the locket in the drawer of his bedside table, where it'd be safe.

He finished packing in less than a few minutes and went to the window to stare out it; it was perfect. The valley in Colorado was perfect for his new stream of ambitious inventions, far away from prying eyes and with the offer to power the town he had full reign. He already had plans for the new lab, and what would be carried out there. A whole myriad of distractions for him to submerge himself in, then maybe, after he was done that, enough time will have passed that Helen might take him back…at least as a friend.

_**~~~~England 1905~~~~**_

"Don't disconnect that!"

Nikola growled.

"Don't tell me what to do! I do this for a living Sherlock!" he barked.

"Be careful, please!"

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch Mr. No-see?" Nikola was beginning to tire of all these interruptions.

"Nikola, please, not all of us are as impermeable as you are," Helen said calmly to him.

"Fine," he said, looking at her with a slight sigh.

"He certainly didn't cobble this together, did he?" she looked back at the slightly marvelous, slightly terrifying device, it was the size of a small stable, with more working technology than Big Ben, filled with an ominous green substance they could only surmise to be Worth's neuro-toxin, they found the plans in his apartment when they had gone to search for him. He was not there…they could only guess that he was far away by this point, waiting for his destruction to follow in his wake.

"He's really outdone himself," Nikola agreed.

"Pumping a neuro-toxin through the whole of London's gas lines…what is he hoping to achieve?" she tapped her skull as she pondered aloud.

"Suffering," Nikola's eyes met hers in an oddly tender shared moment. "He lost everything he cared for…he wants someone in the world to feel the same way."

Helen looked at him inquisitively, as if reading between the lines, as he hoped she would.

She bit her lip slightly.

"We can't let him succeed," she said determinedly.

"I know," he sighed, turning back to the contraption, focusing in on it closely.

It took him a couple of minutes.

"There," he pointed to a specific part of the machine. "We start from there."

Helen's whole face lightened up.

"Nikola! That's brilliant!" she cried, smiling warmly at him, despite the dim light.

Nikola felt his chest tingle slightly, like a heavy fog had been removed from out of it just by seeing her smile again.

There it was again, his love for her, like a spring flower blossoming, he could never keep it down long enough.

Nikola felt inspired to work as hard and as diligently as he could, if not for the good of humanity then at least for her.

_**~~~~Colorado Springs, 1899~~~~**_

Nikola walked through his field of lightbulbs, smirking to himself with amusement.

Two-hundred lightbulbs, in neat, well-maintained rows, all lit up without wires, without any of his powers; to prove that electricity was not limited to just himself and copper conductors.

His assistant was a decent ways away, checking the lightbulbs to make sure all were working to their full capacity, while Nikola just sat back and admired his handiwork.

Two hundred lightbulbs. Edison would swallow his damned tongue at the sight, nearly wear himself to death trying to figure the trick behind it.

Helen's eyes would light up at the marvel, look at him, then back at the lights…then she would take his hand, and lead him to the little cove of trees just down the valley, and…

"Master Tesla!" called his assistant.

Master Tesla had such a nice ring to it.

"All lightbulbs working at max," said his assistant Fritz Lowenstein.

"Fantastic," Nikola grinned, go in and get some rest Fritz I have big plans for tomorrow."

"Right you are sir," Fritz nodded his head then began his trek back to the lab, but stopped. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine, just go," Nikola waved off his colleague.

"Alright," the hint of concern in Fritz's voice was flattering, but unnecessary, as a vampire he rarely needed food, water, sleep, or even human interaction, as long as he took his medication daily he could continue working long into the night, some days he would go to his hotel room for a couple of hours, for show mainly, as to not raise suspicion. But he constantly worked, constantly thought up and drew down ideas, new experiments for him to try. He and Fritz, in the brief time they had been there, had already gone through many trials of experimental work. Poor Fritz nearly set fire twice, Nikola himself got trapped in a barrage of electric streams, which he could've easily walked through, but for Fritz's sake he crawled underneath. Nikola had felt a sort of rejuvenation; he'd almost forgotten what it was like to be lost in his work, and the total freedom in that. It was like visiting an old friend. Recently, he found himself allowing her to leak back in to his thoughts, to his dreams, when he'd permit himself to close his eyes for a few brief moments. He fantasized about her walking into his lab, seeing his genius manifest before her eyes, then take his hand and ride him into oblivion.

It happened more often than he would likely admit, and usually in the moment when he sat back and truly enjoyed his work. He'd think of how much she'd enjoy it with him.

Since Katharine he'd refused any other woman's advances towards him, he didn't want their company for that reason any more, he was tired of that life, unless the woman on the end of his arm was Helen. People began commenting that he really was celibate…perhaps he was, but not for the reason he had claimed all those years ago, that was to keep the crazy women away from him by dashing their hopes before they had time to conceive them, that was when work was important, then there was Rose…and Katharine…and Helen.

He missed her, he didn't like to think of how long it had been; he wondered if he should write; he wondered if she would receive it, or burn it upon arrival.

He wondered if she missed him too.

Then he would work for 3 straight days without another thought on her.

That was his life now in Colorado Springs. Work, work, work, with a brief reprieve to dream.

_**~~~~England 1905~~~~**_

"FINISH IT!"

BANG.

Nikola heard the shot resound through the valley where they had tracked Adam to; his head immediately snapped towards the source. "Helen?"

The Five of them had split up, Nigel had taken the right bank, Nikola took the left, John and James were in the forest, and Helen, Helen in hot pursuit of their target.

He saw a small figure falling from the high cliffs overtop the river, but it never hit the water.

Nikola ran towards the spot, seeing a figure in the water…though it hadn't landed there. He hid behind a large rock and watched. It was John, that slimy bastard would show mercy to a fellow kinsmen.

After a few minutes John let the other man go, drifting himself to the shore. Nikola got up from behind the rock and followed him, getting to the bank first and extending his hand towards the lunatic.

John stared at the hand offered to him for a long moment before letting his eyes drift towards Nikola's face.

"Had a nice swim, Johnny boy?" Nikola grinned facetiously.

John grumbled something unintelligible and ignored Nikola's hand and proceeded to pull himself out of the water.

"I like to swim myself, good for the cardio, you know, and rather refreshing…clears the mind as some would say," Nikola continued.

"What are you on about, Tesla?" John growled, getting to his feet and shaking off his wet body. Nikola skillfully dodged the splatter.

"Nothing, I just find it funny," Nikola shrugged simply.

"Find what funny?" John pulled off his wet shirt to ring it out.

"Oh, just where your loyalties lie," Nikola chuckled. "Like Ripper like Hyde."

John fixed him with a sharp glare.

"Nikola, don't be shooting your mouth off…you could offend someone," John warned subtly.

"Yes, like Helen, once she realizes that you're the same old bastard, betraying his friends again, and for what? For kicks? You will do an honorable thing for a man who tried to wipe out the entire population of London, but hurt the very woman you claim to love!"

John growled again.

"Nikola…I'm warning you…"

"Warn away! But if you so much as even harm a single hair on Helen's head again I will make you feel pain like nothing any of your victims ever felt."

John laughed sardonically, then grabbed a fistful of Nikola's shirt, yanking him, almost nose to nose.

"Don't test me, Nikola, I'm not in the mood," he threatened.

Nikola just smirked before bringing his fist back and punching John hard in the gut, causing him to drop him.

"I've been wanting to do that to you since we met!" Nikola said triumphantly.

"Congratulations, Nikola…this may be the day I finally kill you!" cried John. He pulled out his blade from his sleeve.

Nikola elongated his fingernails slowly.

"Bring it on, Monty!" Nikola challenged, using John's despised nickname.

John threw down the blade.

"I won't be needing this, I think I'm going to put you in your place the old fashioned way!" John brought his fist back and walloped Nikola in the jaw. Nikola laughed slightly.

"I see why you use a blade, you punch like a toddler!" Nikola taunted.

For it he got a swift, and hard, kick to the chest.

"You are pathetic, Nikola! A pathetic little weasel who can't own up to the things he wants. You're a coward! You ran away from Helen, you ran away from the Five! You made it so easy for me to come in and sweep Helen off her feet!"

It was Nikola's turn to growl and throw a punch, missing the teleporter by a mile.

"You will always run, always hide from her! Because for all your gadgets and special talents you are a spineless jellyfish!"

Nikola laughed.

"At least I'm not a jealous lunatic!" Nikola threw another punch, this time making contact with the underside of John's jaw. With the other hand he grasped John's neck and squeezed slightly. Jonhn coughed raggedly.

"You destroyed her! She loved you and you tore her to pieces, and it's been me, me John, left to pick up the pieces! I let her blame it all on me, all the pain you brought on her on me, so that she could stop crying herself to sleep at night. You are a jealous fool, and because of that, she will never love you again! I would wait a hundred years, let her blame me for a hundred years if it meant she would think of me in even a fraction that she had thought of you, and I will wait if that's what it takes. Call me pathetic if you like, but it's more than I can say for you."

Nikola felt a slight sting in his side, and realized John had stabbed him with his knife. Nikola stepped back slightly and looked at the handle of the blade protruding from his abdomen.

"You always were a dirty fighter," Nikola scoffed. Bringing a clawed hand down to swipe across John's chest.

The scratched were deep and John collapsed to the ground in pain, clenching his teeth to muffle his cry.

"A taste of your own medicine," Nikola growled, staring John down.

John snarled, then teleported away.

Nikola scoffed again at the spot John had vacated, then looked back down at the blade in his gut, his fingers wrapping around it's handle before quickly ripping it out in a quick brief moment of pain.

He tossed the weapon into the river as the wound healed.

"Nikola!" came Helen's voice, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Where's John?"

Nikola turned to her.

"Gone," he sighed. "I guess he had no reason to wait around."

James and Nigel ran up behind Helen.

"Nikola, dear god, are you alright?" James said, noticing the bloodstain on Nikola's front.

"Oh, yes," Nikola smirked. "Me and John just had a difference of opinion, that's all."

"Please don't say you killed him," Helen groaned.

"Only with words, Helen," Nikola said poetically.

"Looks like we're taking the long route home," sighed Nigel.

"Longer for some," Helen looked back at Nikola.

"I'm in no hurry," he shrugged. "I've actually enjoyed being back on the British isles.

Helen's demeanor melted slightly.

"But Worth is gone, you don't have to stay here anymore," Helen asked him, her eyes squinting as she tried to read him.

"I know, but I want to stay…for a little bit, I've actually rather missed you guys…save John," Nikola grinned warmly at her.

Helen gave him a smile, which he knew meant she approved.

Nikola looked back to the spot where John had been standing and something hit him, a thought that cut deep. He looked back at Helen as she began to walk back to find James and Nigel so they could return home.

"Helen…I," he started to call after but froze when she spun to the sound of his voice.

"Yes," she responded.

"I'm…c-coming," he sighed, defeated. John was right, he was a pathetic coward, at least when it came to Helen.

His mind was made up he wasn't going to leave until they could talk, if it took him a year to work up the courage then so be it. He would stay a year. He had to make things right between them before leaving again…now if he only knew what to say…he'd need a bottle of Claret…or perhaps a bourdeux…screw it, whatever he found first that's what he'd drink.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen searched the halls of the Sanctuary in search of him. She'd been meaning to talk to him in private ever since he had walked through those doors at Parliament.

Of course, there were complications, mainly John. He had given her a half-hearted apology, that she couldn't really accept while Nikola had remained relatively well-behaved in her presence. What he didn't know is that she knew, knew that the bastard that had screwed her all those years ago had died, disappeared just as quickly as he had emerged. She wanted to tell him that…wanted to patch up this awful grudge between them. It was time they both grew up and stopped blaming each other for their problems.

She searched everywhere she thought he would be, the library, the lab, the rooftop, but he had mysteriously been incognito. She decided to just suck it up and head to the room in the Sanctuary he had chosen to stay in. It was on the third floor residential corridor.

She was glad he decided to stay, so that they could take the time to have this long overdue chat, but ever since they arrived back from the valley he had kept pretty much to himself.

She knocked on the door to his room, but got no response. She didn't have the patience to wait, so she just barged in. The room itself, seemed empty, clean, but empty. His bag was still here…that was good…meant he hadn't stolen away yet.

"Nikola?" she called. "You here?"

She heard a rustling coming from the bathroom and she moved cautiously towards it, in case of…well, whatever.

"Nikola?" she called again, opening the door.

She jumped slightly as she entered, not really expecting to see what was in there, and mildly shocked at what she did.

There he was, Nikola Tesla, sitting in the shiny porcelain tub, fully clothed, legs draped over the side, feet dangling over the edge, with a full bottle of red wine in his hands, resting on his stomach. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and he looked oddly adorable in his disheveled state, and a little out of it.

"Oh, Helen," he grinned, not really bothered by her interruption. "Welcome to my solace, care to join?"

He held up the bottle as an invitation.

"Nikola, what are you doing in the bathtub?" she tried not to laugh. The tub wasn't even filled with water…he was just sitting in it.

"The bed was too soft," he shrugged, making Helen chuckle slightly.

"So naturally you thought drinking in the bathtub was the next best choice," she teased.

"Of course!" he opened his arms up in a grand gesture, Helen heard the liquid inside the bottle slosh around as he moved. "That and the porcelain keeps my suit from wrinkling."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"How many of those have you had?" she gestured to the bottle.

"Let me see…somewhere between 1860…and 1885…" He reached over and lifted up some empty bottles, reading their labels. "…I don't know!" he cried with a laugh, taking another swig from the half full bottle clutched in his left fist.

"You're awfully cheerful after 6 bottles," Helen noted.

"What's not to be cheerful about…good wine…good tub…and now good company," he scooted himself right to the edge and patted to spot beside him. "Come on, Helen, you know you're tempted."

Helen sighed, and gave in, coming to sit on the edge before gently sliding herself into the tub. She fiddled for a few seconds to get comfortable.

"Alright, I'm in the tub," she said, feeling slightly juvenile.

Nikola handed her the bottle with a small grin; she accepted it.

"Drink up," he chuckled.

She cheered him then took a generous swig from the bottle.

"Mmm, good year," she mumbled.

"Isn't it?" he took the bottle back and drank from it again.

Helen took a deep breath, knowing she couldn't deflect any longer.

"Nikola," she said, her tone changing to be much more serious.

"Yes," he looked at her, his voice matching hers.

"Why are you in the tub?" she asked again.

"I…needed to think…in private…you can't get more private than in a bathtub," Nikola shrugged. "A man needs to think sometimes…some of my best inventions came out of doing the most mundane of activities."

"What were you thinking about?" she prodded him along.

"About some of the mistakes I've made over the last few years…mostly towards you, have I apologized for that by the way?"

Helen didn't know how to answer that so she just bit her lip and reached for the bottle again.

"Well, I'm sorry anyways," he sighed, handing the bottle to her.

"It wasn't exactly all your fault, Nikola," Helen finally said.

"It was mostly mine…I was being a bastard for no good reason, and that was wrong of me…I think I was going through some kind of mid-life crisis," Nikola gave a weak laugh at that.

"Nikola, you don't age," Helen teased lightly.

"Maybe not physically, but as the years go by I do feel myself become more and more foolish," Nikola sighed again. "I remember when I was young I was so sure I had it all figured out…and what I didn't have I would discover and master, like everything else, now I realize I really didn't know anything past the textbooks."

Helen gave him a half-hearted smile.

"I understand," she nodded her head, she'd been feeling the exact same way.

"Life is funny that way…and it wasn't just you Helen…why I acted that way…I felt like my whole world was caving in…first George Westinghouse losing money left and right…Niagra felt like it was slipping out of my hands ever since the lab fire. I felt like you were the only thing I had left…silly, I know, but my whole universe was slipping and I desperately reached out for the one constant in my life…you…hence why I tried to…change the relationship again. I wanted one consistency in my life, and when you began to slip as well…I guess, I snapped, decided to give in…if I hurt you because of my crisis of faith, I am deeply and truly sorry Helen…I've wanted to say that to you ever since I walked through those doors."

Helen leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder, draping her arm lazily over his middle in a relaxed embrace, a light snuggle.

"I forgive you," she muttered lightly.

Nikola felt his heart swell and a warmth tingle throughout his body coming from her body as she embraced him.

"I'm sorry as well…I hardly acted kindly to you…I guess I was going through something of a crisis as well," she lifted her head up and pecked his cheek. "I guess we were both acting a little foolish."

"We still are," Nikola looked in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" asked Helen.

"I still…want things…want…consistencies…though I know I'll never get them I'll still ask…still want them," Nikola took her hand gently in his.

Helen's eyes widened slightly.

"You mean…"

"I don't know what I mean," Nikola shook his head. "My life hasn't been easy…Colorado is gone…my tower is…crumbling bit by bit…and I…still feel things towards you…but I won't force anything on you."

Helen moved away slightly.

"I don't know what to say," she muttered.

"You don't have to say anything, Helen," he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. "Just letting you know."

He stood up and swiped his trousers before getting out of the tub.

"All in good fun though, just like before?" he gave her a cheeky grin.

Helen saw what he was getting at.

"Except this time I can say no," she stood up, challenging him. "And I will."

"I know," he offered his hand to help her out of the tub.

"I told you I would never sleep with you again, and I meant that," she got out of the tub.

"I know, but you can't deny me the fun in trying," he grinned at her even more.

"Your efforts will be futile," she sighed.

"All the more of a challenge…and I promise, I'll only annoy you when I feel bored, and when you're in the mood," he teased.

Helen laughed, and rolled her eyes.

"Why, Nikola?" she asked honestly, still not seeing his true motivations behind this game.

"Call it a mid-life thing…a chance at consistency." Nikola took her hand and kissed it.

"Consistency?" Helen looked at him funny, but nodded her head.

"I should return to New York soon, I have a renewed ambition to work on my tower…you should come visit some time…get the full tour."

Helen scoffed and shook her head.

"I get the feeling you're not talking about seeing the sites," she teased.

"You never know," he shrugged. "But I'll be waiting."

He grinned and took a last swig from the bottle before placing it in her hands and strolling charismatically out.

Helen stayed where she was, slightly dumbfounded.

What had just happened? First they were apologizing, making up for their past misdeeds, then Nikola basically told her he would not stop in his pursuit of her…of her what? Affections? Admiration? Love?

Did he love her? Is that it?

Maybe he couldn't love…but maybe he wanted to try.

For some reason that didn't bother her as much as it should've.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

What up my beloved and patient readers!

And thus the relationship between Helen and Nikola is born! Ta-daa! Is it just me or would it be just like Tesla to be exactly like this…I'm going to love you whether you like it or not…I think he went a little cray-cray in Colorado…too much electricity :P

So, yes, no Adam…frankly…I couldn't see any scene between him and Nikola that would be really significant, it's all about John and Nikola's animosity and healing over the whole 1890's debacle and setting it up for pretty much the rest of their lives. Nikola decides he's going to pursue her, but tells her in away that he doesn't actually have to tell her, and Helen's just like whatevs.

I might have one more chapter in this time period before making a massive jump, because I already wrote Seasick…if you read it again, and just don't finish the last chapter…it stays in canon, then after that comes the wonderful magical world of 1917, which will start a new arch, which I'm excited about. Some wonderful flirtiness, some almost real tenderness, some sex appeal just for fun, and maybe for the heck of it some kind of beast attack.

Also…hehe…you notice the little switcheroo in the story I added…I decided to factor in Helen's little time travel escapade :P I'm so clever! Not really, I'm kidding…it was a choice, I decided, eh, this way I don't have to write a companion piece.

Life is fricking busy, probably for many of you, but for me, it's like…AGHHHHH! So chapters will probably be few and far between, because being a Theatre Student is not easy…they expect you to know lines and memorize like a million things and rehearse 15 times before next class and read plays and…ugh! I have no life…and no Nikola…how depressing.

Oh, the dire times of Nikolalessness…such a sad and lonely place to be. Praying for a season 5 *fingers crossed*

In any case, enjoy! Sit back, relax, read, and hope I don't die of a brain aneurism which I just might. Happy Weekend!

Btdubs, reviews lessen the possibility of a brain splode, so leave me some I kid :P You don't have to.


	42. The Power to be Hurt

**Chapter 42 – The Power to be Hurt**

_**~~~~New York – Wardenclyffe Tower – Spring, 1906~~~~**_

Nikola sat at his workbench, scribbling furiously at his drawings; notes on his turbines, modifications to the tower that will bring up more backers, impress more financers, and keep more people interested in his ambitious project that was on the verge of crumbling beneath his feet.

He held his pencil between his teeth as he erased something emphatically and brushed off the remnants. It was all very frustrating, this whole project was a pain since the beginning, as most ambitious ideas are, but this time he had nothing on which to stand, no loyal backers, no contracts, nothing. He was finding it hard to keep the entire facility up and running, he was considering firing all the unnecessary workers until such a time that he could afford them, anything to keep this project afloat for as long as he could.

He was working furiously, day and night, ignoring social interaction, declining visits from friends, and hardly eating because it was all a waste of time, and what did he have to show for it?

He crinkled up the piece of paper and tossed it away angrily.

Nothing, that's what he had, nothing, a whole freaking tower full of nothing.

_**~~~~Meanwhile – Just outside~~~~**_

The car stopped just outside the entrance to the wondrous building. The gravel road crunched underneath its wheels as it rolled back into park.

She stepped out a moment later, her heeled shoes finding hard purchase on the uneven ground. She ordered the driver to stay parked, and make himself comfortable…she was going to be awhile.

Her fingers fiddled with excitement, she had no idea what kind of trouble her appearance here would cause, how would he react? How would he look? Would he welcome her in kindly, or cast her out angrily? Would he be Nikola? Strange, beautiful, wondrous Nikola, who believed in free power, and true love? Or bitter, cynical, frustrated Nikola who couldn't see the answer so clearly in front of him?

She was nervous, but she was determined.

Without waiting for an escort to lead her to him she opened the door to the secret tower and walked inside. It didn't take her long to find him, she was not flabbergasted by the sights of the building's interior, though she'd never seen it before, but she wouldn't let herself be slowed down by such marvels, she had to see him.

He was in, what she assumed was, his office, tirelessly wandering about, muttering to himself, a pencil tucked behind his left ear as he fuddled about with some scraps of metal and copper wire.

She stood there and watched him, trying to hold back her laugh. He always was a bit silly when he was working. Not many could tell, but she could. He was bored, bored out of his mind, and trying terribly to convince himself he was not so. He ran around trying ideas, scribbling things down on paper, trying as hard as he could to find something to entertain himself with. He disguised it well, people rarely understood what he did as it was, but she saw right through it, he was grasping at straws.

Her laugh gave her away, and he froze in place, wondering if he had actually heard what he'd heard or if he'd imagined it.

She laughed again and he turned towards it, his furrowed brow melting at the sight of her. He was really quite adorable when he made that face, a look somewhat akin to shock, awe and confusion all rolled into one.

She shook her head.

"My dear Tesla, you must be bored out of your skull," she shook her head and smiled at him.

"Helen?...I'm working," he straightened up defensively, trying to be impressive.

"Nikola, you're ditty-fritting to make it look like you're working," she teased, walking further into the room. "I know the difference."

"I had no idea I was so transparent," he turned away dismissively, playing his game with her. He turned back, stubbornly to his drawings, pretending to study them tediously.

She smiled slightly and walked up to him to stand directly behind him.

The back of his neck peaked out from behind his collar; she eyed it amiably.

"How long has it been, Nikola?" she asked casually.

"Almost a year," he muttered in response.

"Miss me?" she asked.

"Only some of the time," he lied easily.

"Liar," she accused.

"So, I thought of you from time to time, why are you here?" he still refused to look at her,

"Maybe I missed you," she shrugged.

"Helen, please don't mock me, as much as I enjoy your presence you chose an awful time to come see me, I'm busy," he growled, he was in a mood today.

Helen eyed his neck again, then without warning, pressed her lips against the exposed skin of the back of it. She grinned as she watched his whole body tense at the contact, and continued to lazily kiss the spot, wrapping her arms gently around his shoulders in a soft embrace.

Nikola stood still as a plank, not moving, barely breathing, with his eyes wide and unsure.

"Helen, what are you…?" he asked hesitantly.

"You looked tense, I was just trying to relax you," she sighed innocently.

"Well it didn't work," he moved away from her. He was so cute when he didn't understand what was going on.

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she grinned. He looked at her funny.

"What are you doing here, Helen?" he asked with a huff.

"I was in the neighborhood," she said as innocently as she could. "I thought I'd pop by and see how you were doing."

"Is that it?" he asked her, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Well, no…I did have a small proposition to make for you…but I will touch on that later," she stepped closer to him.

God, she'd missed him, more than she was willing to admit, and the moment she had walked in and saw him…well, she had only one thing in mind.

Her hands caressed the lines of his chest, her eyes watching his as they darted down to her fingers then back up to her, looking even more confused.

"Helen, what are you…?"

"Shush," she cut him off. "Don't try to understand it, Niko, just play along."

Before he could even try to understand what that meant she kissed him, her tongue soft and plying, and his whole brain did somersaults.

He broke the kiss.

"Helen, you're not acting like yourself, are you drunk?" he asked, using his arms to hold her at bay.

"You would think that would you?" she teased, her fingers grabbing one of his hands and entwining it with hers. "Nikola, this isn't going to make sense right now, and it probably never will for a long time…but what I need you to do for me, is to just let it happen…don't analyze it, or coat it with anything. Can you do that for me?"

Nikola looked at her, just as lost, but nodded his head anyway.

She smiled, leading him by the hand to his workbench and hopping on to it with her legs dangling over the edge. It took her a moment of shuffling to hike up her skirt high enough so that she could open up her legs to let him through. He let her lead him right to her.

She took the hand that she held and draped it around her side, then took his other arm and draped it over her shoulder, making him stand impossibly close to her.

"Nikola, listen to me, and listen carefully," she instructed, he wordlessly nodded his head. "I need you to do something for me, don't ask me why, just do it."

He looked down at their near touching bodies with a weird look of contemplation, then looked back at her and nodded.

"It's about your work…and I'll explain to you exactly what I need before I leave," she kissed him tenderly then pulled back. "It won't make any sense, but you have to trust me." She kissed his jaw gently. "And when you see me again I will deny this ever happened, so don't bring it up, and don't look into it." She peppered more kisses across his face. "You're going to help me with this project, and I will tell you when, but I need you to get started." She pulled a folded piece of paper out from her bosom and slipped it into his pocket. "That contains all your instructions, including a date on which we will meet again where I will instruct you further, only then will we talk about it, got it?"

Nikola nodded still unbelievably thrown off by her behavior.

She began undoing his cravat gently.

"I'm sorry, this must be so confusing for you, and it will be for a long time, but I promise one day I'll explain it to you," she tossed the cravat away and began working at the buttons of his shirt, pulling the tails out of his neatly tucked trousers. She kissed him along the jaw several more times before claiming his lips with her own in a very suffocating kiss that left him clutching at her side.

When she broke apart, she began to pull at the laces of her top, and his Nikola's eyes widened dramatically.

"Please be a dear and help, I do have a car waiting," she prodded him.

"Uhhh," he stumbled over his words.

"Don't ask questions, just do," she reprimanded him, forcing his hands to her chest to cup her bosom gently; he made an unintelligible gurgle at the forward action.

"Helen, wait," he mumbled, his hands not leaving her chest.

"Suspenders are annoying aren't they?" she ignored him, shoving his suspenders off his shoulders to hang loosely by his hips. She also kicked off her shoes, and tossed her hat away, letting her long hair cascade down in front of him.

She used the suspenders to pull him closer, nearly causing him to lose his footing and collapse into her.

"That's better," she muttered, pulling him into another heated kiss.

He pulled back, gasping deeply.

"Helen, please, just," he begged, trying to grasp ahold of the situation. "Your not yourself!"

She still ignored him and began fiddling with his pants, causing him to jump away slightly, but she held him there by hooking her legs around his hips, and kept attacking the zip of his trousers.

"Helen!" he barked. He grasped her shoulders and pinned her down on the surface of the table, it was a rather awkward angle, but with his strength he managed to hold her down, though he was also closer to her. She shifted so that her leg was more comfortable, letting the knee bend towards the ceiling to reveal her stocking-clad leg. "Helen, please, tell me what is going on," he pleaded.

"I can't, Nikola," she said honestly. Her hand reaching up to stroke his face. "I don't know why, but I want this, in this moment I want this…and I know how that must confuse you, god knows I don't want to hurt you…which I will…time and time again, Nikola," she sighed sadly.

Nikola looked down at her, with a look she could only assume was the most genuine expression of love she'd ever seen, his face inching impossibly close to hers.

"Thou hast not half that power to do me harm as I have to be hurt," he muttered to her, kissing her soundly, and with a vengeance. His hands released her arms, and slid down her body to her legs, stroking her through the silken fabric of her stockings, roughly, before unclipping them and pushing them down her calves. Her hands came up to his face, cupping his cheek gently, before sliding in to his hair, eliciting a sharp and sensual groan from him.

In a matter of seconds, he had pushed up her skirt as high as she'd allow and had climbed onto the table, atop her. Papers fell to the floor, odd things and fingle-fangles that he'd been playing with clunkered to the ground, but she didn't care, just as much as he didn't.

She gasped as she broke the kiss, extending her neck for him to continue his assault.

"It'd be just like you to melt me with Shakespeare," she teased, laughing as she felt him snigger against her skin.

Soon after that, their world began to blur in a haze of passion and emotion, she felt him, in the purest notion of the word, she felt him lose sense of reality, of logic, of time and space and just let go, just like she had asked him to. Even when his work lay strewn across the floor, even when she had flipped him over and pressed her hands into his chest, even after all that when he fell asleep with his arm draped easily around her.

And especially…when she quietly climbed off the workbench, dressed, and paid him a simple, genteel kiss to the forehead and left in her car just as simply and unannounced as she had came.

Nikola was jarred awake by a loud noise, sounded like a banging…something banging.

"Wake up, genius," came a familiar voice.

Nikola felt groggy…where was he? He blinked and then realized as he rolled off his side and laid face up…on his desk…in his office…at Wardenclyffe.

"Rough night?" came the voice of his old friend.

Nikola sat up…he was dressed only in his trousers and undershirt, and his whole office was in disarray.

"I must've…fallen asleep," Nikola mumbled, scratching his disheveled head.

"After what? Fighting a wild baboon? Good lord! This place is in shambles!" cried Robert Underwood Johnson.

"It wasn't a baboon," Nikola snickered.

"I'm glad that at least you did sleep, probably long overdue too," Robert sighed, walking further into the room and starting to picking up the papers scattered all across the floor.

"Yah," Nikola began looking all over the room. "You didn't happen to notice anybody…leaving as you came in, possibly?" he asked.

"No, no one…was there someone here?" Robert looked at Nikola skeptically.

"No…must've been a dream," Nikola shrugged simply. He climbed off the table, running a hand quickly through his hair.

"How long have you been sleeping for?" asked Robert.

"What day is it?" asked Nikola.

"Thursday, noontime," answered Robert.

"Then about a day and a half then," replied Nikola.

"Are you serious?" Robert laughed.

"Well, depends…is it still April?"

Robert laughed again.

"Come on, I'm taking you out of here to get some fresh air and a good meal," Robert handed Nikola his shirt and cravat.

"Will Katharine be joining us?" asked Nikola.

"Afraid not, she hasn't been well these last few days, she's at home resting," answered Robert.

"Well, send her my best regards," Nikola did as best he could to hide his sigh of relief.

"Send them yourself, it's not like you live in Colorado anymore," joked Robert.

"Oh Luka, your simplicity astounds me," teased Nikola. "Go, get the car ready, I'm just going to make a quick phone call and I'll be right behind you."

Robert nodded and left, taking his cane with him…so that's where the banging came from.

Nikola smirked and picked up the phone, dialing the number quickly until it was picked up on the other line.

"James! My dear fellow, how's England…so nothing's changed…yes, it's me Nikola…nothing serious, just leaving a message for Helen for when she gets back, if you could just…oh…she's there…she hasn't?...I see…no nevermind, it's not important…goodbye James," Nikola hung up the phone, his face fixed with a frown, his mind perplexed. Helen had been in England for the last three months…not even left the Sanctuary in that time…yet she was here last night…with him.

Nikola tapped his chin, worriedly.

Maybe it had been a dream. He reached into his pant's pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper with his instructions on it.

"Helen…?" he unfolded the paper and read it.

His mind sparked as he read the words on the page…it was…genius, to say the least, but if Helen was in England…then who had given him this…and if it wasn't for Helen, then what was this for?

He folded the paper back up and tucked it into his breast pocket. He'd figure it all out later, for now, he had lunch plans to attend to.

**_~~~~Author's Notes~~~~_**

Here's a quickie for you guy, hopefully this will tide you over for awhile :)

Fun little Helen time warp here...couldn't stop myself...but this will probably be the only appearance of Time Warp Helen, the rest of Helen will be normal time Helen, just so you know. I hope it will warm up your Teslen spirits for a bit.


	43. Adventures With Javor (1)

**Chapter 43 – Adventures With Javor (Part 1)**

_**~~~~New York, 1917~~~~**_

"I'm here to see this man, please," Helen Magnus handed a scrap of paper to the guard, who looked up at her skeptically then smirked.

"The genius, eh?" he chuckled, sitting up.

She placed an envelope on the table.

"That should more than cover his debt," she said sternly.

The guard lifted up the small envelope and opened it, reading its contents before looking up at her gobsmacked.

"Now will you please take me to him?" she ordered more than asked. The guard nodded, taking his ring of keys out of the drawer and leading her down the corridors of smelly, whimpering, unfortunate people locked inside New York's debtor's prison.

Family's, couples, old men, dirty and cold, all huddled together because they hadn't a penny to pay for life.

Then there he was, his suit dirty and ragged, his hair sticking up at odd angles, his mustache unkempt and shaggy, and his face smudged with dirt. He looked positively miserable, clinging on to the bars of his cell as if they were only thing keeping him from getting sucked into the void of misery behind him.

He heard her footsteps, his head snapping to her direction, his eyes lighting up upon seeing her.

"Helen?" he blinked his eyes disbelievingly. When she wasn't going anywhere he perked up, a smile breaking across his face.

"Get back! Get back!" the guard banged his stick against the bars to keep anyone from escaping, grabbing Nikola by the collar to keep him close. "Not you."

He looked over at Helen, his face even brighter as he was dragged out of the cell and tossed towards her. He lost his footing as he was shoved in her direction and he fell to the ground at her feet.

He sputtered in the dirt for a second before scrambling to his knees.

"Oh Helen! You came for me!" he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. "I knew you would! Oh thank you, thank you!"

Helen took this as her opportunity to smack him upside the head.

"Bankrupt, Nikola! Really?" she scolded him.

Nikola held the side of his head.

"It was either that or become a fugitive…genius does not come cheap you know." Helen dragged him to his feet.

"You are a bloody mess!" she cried, using a gloved hand to swipe at the dirty streaks she soon realized were not coming off anytime soon.

"Well bath and spa day isn't till Sunday." Nikola replied sarcastically.

"But seriously, debtor's prison? Of all places! Why didn't you come to me with your financial problems, I could've helped!" she slapped him again.

"I didn't think you would help," he whined, rubbing his head some more.

"You didn't think I would - I'm your friend Nikola! I would've gotten you out of trouble.

"Maybe I didn't…maybe I wanted to solve my own problems," he sighed.

"Well, it worked out very well for you now, didn't it?" she teased.

"Immensely," he scowled flatly.

"Well, I'm sorry to ruin your plans, you can go back in the jail if you want," she gestured to the barred cell.

"No, no!" his scowl melted and he moved away from the steel bars he'd just been freed from. "I'll just…do better next time, I promise. Thank you Helen for bailing me out.

"Bailing you out? Do you really think that I'm going to just let you waltz out of here, scot-free?" she put her hands on her hips. "The only way I could get you out of here without any significant financial detriment to myself was to hire you for a small research project, to work off your debts."

Nikola's face dropped.

"You didn't," he muttered.

"I did, it just so happens that I need a research assistant for my latest project, and you are a free bargain, any money you would make would go straight to your debtors, you work long enough your charges are void."

Nikola still looked at her dumbly.

"You work for me now," she clarified. "No way out of it."

"Doing what?" he finally asked.

"You might actually enjoy this," she grinned. "We're sort of…going treasure hunting, for something my father long dreamed of finding."

"A career?" Nikola offered carelessly.

"Even better," Helen continued, ignoring his half-assed statement. She took out a scrap from a newspaper out of her purse and handed it to him.

"Egypt?" he looked up from the clipping with confusion.

She nodded.

"Egypt," she nodded. "The wealth of kings buried under centuries of sand," she looked him dead straight in the eye. "I need a small crew for easy transportation. We have to find the tomb first, there is great importance in it," Helen lowered her voice to a whisper.

"How small?" asked Nikola.

"For the most part, you and me, but you take little supplies and have the most strength. I need you, Nikola."

Nikola stroked his chin thoughtfully; him and Helen, alone…in the desert. He could picture that.

"Well, it seems I have no choice…but you'll have to buy me a new suit," he tried to remain as neutral as possible, to hide his excitement. "I'm not going to be tromping around the desert in these rags, and we'll need some wine too!"

Helen laughed.

"Agreed," she held out her hand to him.

"Would we be sharing a tent?" he wiggled his eyebrows mischievously.

"Watch it, I don't need you that badly," she warned.

"You didn't mind me being there when a certain ship was sinking," he teased. Helen fixed him with a sharp glare.

"One more word and debtor's prison will be the least of your worries!" she growled threateningly.

"Hey! You're the boss, boss," he raised his hands up defensively and grinned.

This was going to be fun.

_**~~~~Cairo, Egypt~~~~**_

Nikola stepped out of the black automobile outside the Hotel, on to the dusty street of Cairo's bustling inner city.

He wore a brown suit, topped with a wide brimmed fedora and a pair of black circular sunglasses.

He took a moment to enjoy the view of the Nile just less than a mile away sparkling in it's ancient glory.

He turned back to the car and extended his hand to his fellow passenger to help her out the car.

Helen accepted his hand, immediately stepping out into the marvel.

"Now I know why my father was so fascinated by this land," she looked around admiringly. She was wearing a light gown with few layers, but still tasteful enough for society's scruples.

Nikola thought she looked marvelous, the way the material hugged her body; it was a simple light blue skirt and jacket with a white blouse underneath and a matching hat, but it brought out the sparkle in her eyes and set her apart as an oasis amongst sand.

"I've heard stories, but they haven't done the place justice," he nodded in agreement. "When they said a little sandy they were understating it, there is sand everywhere!"

Helen rolled her eyes at his joke.

"It is a desert, what were you expecting? A little patch of dirt in the corner?" she scoffed at him.

"Industrialization, my dear, nature is bound to lose," he offered his hand to her, then escorted her inside the cool hotel lobby as one of the concierge's got their bags from the driver.

Helen went up to the main desk to get the keys for their rooms; they were only going to be in town a night or so, tomorrow they would board a boat and travel down the Nile to begin their search for the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Looking in her father's journals, she had reason to believe there was more about the ancient pharaohs than they had originally thought, and she had to find it before Howard Carter did.

Nikola opened his jacket and rested his hands on his hips, admiring the interior design of the hotel lobby; it was open and cool yet the air of British overthrow still hung in the air along with the smell of aged port and Earl Grey tea.

"Admiring the view?" Helen snuck up behind him.

"Always," he turned to her as she handed him his key.

"Your room as requested, divisible by 3 as you asked," she reassured him.

"It would've been less difficult for you if you just got one room," he teased with a slight leer.

"Not in the long run," Helen shook her head.

"What could go wrong? You could be Mrs. Dragoslav and lover to elusive business man," he grinned smugly, leaning in to her slightly and taking her hand kissing it.

"I'll stick to being Helen Magnus, friend of professional nitwit, Nikola Tesla," she took her hand out of his and pushed him away.

"Shh, I'm in disguise," he hushed her, still remaining close.

"Yes, no one will suspect you're a genius," she teased, causing him to frowned at her.

"The world thinks that I'm hiding out in New York, thanks to you, and that convincing double you put up," Nikola smirked at her. "Now, I am Javor Dragoslav to you. At your service malady," he bowed dramatically; Helen rolled her eyes at him.

"Javor Dragoslav was not who I hired," she glared at him.

"You enjoyed him before," he teased.

"That's before I realized what an ass he was, bring it up again and I'll take you back to the debtor's prison, you got it?"

Nikola grinned.

"Helen, we agreed that I needed a pseudo-name, that is the name I go by, take it or leave it," he crossed his arms defiantly.

"Fine then, but you keep Javor…and his schemes inside your head where they belong," she warned.

"Fine," he sighed leisurely. "A drink before we retire to our rooms?" he offered, holding his hand out to her.

"One," she accepted strictly. She took his hand and allowed him to escort her inside the hotel bar to get a brandy for her and a glass of wine for him.

"May I ask how long this excavation will last?" Nikola changed the subject as they sat down at the bar and waited for their orders. He removed his fedora and placed it on the bar, as well as removing his sunglasses and tucking them into his breast pocket.

"Till we find the tomb," Helen said very hushed and clipped.

"Rough timeline?" Nikola coaxed further.

"However long it takes," Helen continued with her short answers.

"Two years? Three years? Five?" he kept prodding for information, not accepting her sharp and relatively unhelpful details thus far.

"I don't know, Nikola, we will search until either they find it or we find it," she growled at him.

"What do we do if they find it?" he asked.

"Then we will have to steal it from them," she met his eyes then with sheer determination. "My father firmly believed in something being in that tomb and I intend to find out what it was, no matter the cost."

Nikola grinned widely. He loved this side f her, pure, scientific, determined Helen; it was like seeing an old friend walk through familiar doors, he'd begun to miss this side of her. It had been one of the first things about her that had caused him to fall in love with her all those years ago; her thirst for knowledge and endless search for answers for new truths. He was glad to be searching with her again.

Hoping, in the back of his mind, that they might grow close again…being out there in the desert…alone together.

Something in his peripheral vision caught his eye, a figure, distinctly too interested in the two of them.

Helen sipped her brandy casually, and Nikola wondered if he should mention it, but he decided this was neither the time nor place; if there was one there could be more.

He leaned near Helen's ear.

"You look lovely tonight my dear," he whispered to her, entwining his hand in hers and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

Helen tensed underneath touch.

"What the hell are you doing?" she whispered to him, not wanting to cause a scene for naught.

"I'll explain later, but now would be an excellent time to pretend you're my fiancé," he kissed her entwined hand.

Helen looked in his eyes, seeing what they were seeing. A part of her couldn't help but this was another one of his ploys. But she knew Nikola well enough to know when he was using his quick mind to trick something, or someone.

"It will be so nice to meet your brother, Ms Carter," he lied easily, but loudly enough for anyone who was listening could hear. "I am excited to know the family I'm going to marry into."

"It's only a shame we have to go out in the desert to find him. Howie was always such the recluse. I only hope he got my later," Helen caught on quickly, running her hands through his hair lovingly.

He loved that, why'd she always have to torture him this way.

"I'll miss you tonight," he grinned, leaning in and kissing her tenderly on the lips, just as soft as he remembered.

"Dear, it's highly inappropriate, besides, I would like to remain virtuous before my wedding," she pulled away and blushed like a professional actress.

"I don't if I can wait that long," he replied. "Everyday I love you more and more, and every minute I want to show you just how much."

The confession, though disguised as a ruse took a lot of strength for him to get out and he his heartbeat loudly, almost painfully in his chest, knowing it would fall on deaf ears.

"I know darling, but just a little while longer," she pecked his cheek and moved away from him. "I won't love you any less on our honeymoon."

"And I won't love you any less afterwards," Nikola grasped her hand.

Helen caught his eye and stared intently.

"Not tonight," she muttered, pulling her hand from his and walking out of the room, leaving him at the bar.

Nikola felt a piece of him break a little. He shook his head. No, it was just an act, she was just playing virtuous maid to his needy man. He chugged down the rest of his wine and then walked briskly out of the bar, still feeling the presence of someone following him.

They may have masked their true intentions, but they were still very much of interest to whomever it was.

Nikola had a sneaking suspicion that he and Helen weren't going to get on that boat tomorrow.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen sat on her bed, combing out her blonde locks.

She was in her nightgown, ready to get some sleep for tomorrow was going to be a long day; but that's not where her thoughts were lying.

She was thinking back to that moment she and Nikola had shared down in the bar. It had been weird, not because of the ruse, but because it didn't feel entirely like a ruse, not to her. Nikola may be a good actor and all but when he said he loved her she couldn't help feel that it was oddly sincere.

She shook her head. He was trying to be convincing, that's all. She was just falling for the act more than she should. It was just like that time in Paris, another ruse, he had touched her kissed her, and in an instant blinked it all away. But that had been before they started playing this game of chicken; each trying to push the other as far as they could go without breaking. They were teasing, they were base…but on that ship, amidst the chaos they had turned to each other for comfort; they had conjured something that had felt real, but couldn't last beyond that spark.

She put her brush down and let out a long sigh. His lips on her skin still brought back many memories.

She shook her head again and crawled underneath the covers, shutting of the lamp on her bedside table.

She was about to drift off to sleep when a slight noise prickled her ear, causing her eyes to shoot open. She reached for the lamp, pulling her gun out from under her pillow and aiming it at the door.

The light showed no change, no disturbance, and her racing heart began to calm down it's frantic pace.

She relaxed back into the bed and slid the gun back under the pillow before turning her head to the side and resting her gaze on a familiar face lying on the spot beside her.

She jumped, nearly shooting him in the chest.

"Oh good lor-!" she cried, uncocking her pistol. "Nikola, what are you doing in my room?"

He grinned slightly at her.

"I can think of so many reasons, but only one justifies you not shooting me," he said cryptically.

"I highly doubt that, get out," she growled with a huff.

"I've been doing some snooping, and we are definitely being watched, like hawks. I think they're Carter's men. I went for a little walk, and managed to get behind my followers and do some following of my own. Now, they think you're his sister, so they're most likely to come tonight and take us to him."

"What are we supposed to do? We can't go with them, Carter will know I'm not who I claim to be…we don't even know if he has a sister! He'll have us buried under the dunes," she whispered to him.

"And we can't run or our cover is blown," he added.

"So what is the plan genius?" she growled at him.

"We let them take us as far as we need to go then we tell them the bad news," Nikola began undoing the tie around his neck suddenly.

"Fine, but that still doesn't justify you being here," she eyed him as he folded the tie and began undoing his vest and collar.

"Let's just say I convinced you," he shrugged easily.

"Of what?" she looked at him skeptically.

"Of my love, my dear fiancé," he pulled away the covers in a quick move then rolled on top of her, using his strength to pull her under him.

"Nikola!" she cried.

"Call me, Javor," he grinned and began kissing her neck.

"If this is one of your blasted schemes…"

"I can't risk them taking you without me," he whispered to her. They are coming very soon. Helen, I promise, this is not a game…remember Paris?"

Helen relaxed slightly.

"Fine, but your pants better stay on," she warned before grasping on to his hair and letting a moan out as Nikols ravished her neck and rock against her gently.

She rolled him over, but he counteracted, ending with him still on top, their lower halves just a bit more tangled and pressed together.

She shifted her legs so he could lie in the valley between them, his lithe torso squeezed against her thighs. She raised her knees, the material of her nightgown sliding down them exposing her bare legs.

His fingers deftly ran along them, causing a real moan to escape her, lips, which was muffled by his, stealing a particularly passionate kiss from her.

She momentarily forgot this was an act and began unbuttoning his shirt, just enough so that she could give him a taste of his own medicine and bite down on to one of the chords of his neck.

His strangled cry made her chuckle. She slid her hands into his hair and tugged it lightly, knowing that would drive him wild.

Nikola hissed and growled before kissing her more hungrily.

Her thighs squeezed his sides slightly.

"I love you," he muttered before attacking her neck again.

Helen's eyes snapped open.

Did she just hear what she thought she did?

She was about to push him away when the door burst open and two men walked in, holding guns, pointed straight at them.

Playing her part.

She shrieked and yanked the cover over her.

Nikola ripped his lips away from her neck and turned to the intruders.

"Told you," he muttered quietly to her. "Who the hell are you?" he cried at them.

"We work for Mr. Carter," said the taller of the two.

"Howie?" Helen bluffed.

"Your brother, yes," said the other one.

"What do you want from us?" asked Nikola, moving from between Helen's legs to his feet. Playing protective fiancé.

"We need to get you out of here, it's not safe," said the tall one. "There is a lot of people on the search for the tomb, and most will stop at nothing to see Mr. Carter fail, even put his family members in danger if need be."

Helen looked over at Nikola.

"How can we trust you?" she asked.

They both pulled up the sleeves of their right hands. A symbol of Horace was tattooed on each of their wrists.

"I…I don't know what that means," Helen lied.

"It's the symbol for the Egyptian god Horace, your brother has adopted this as his insignia," said the other one.

"Will you take me to him?" she asked.

"And me?" added Nikola.

"Yes, but we have to leave now, our boat is waiting," the tall one attempted to push them out the door.

"I am not going out in my nightgown!" cried Helen. "Surely there is enough time for me to get changed!"

The two men sighed and nodded their head.

"Dear, stay and help me," she gestured to Nikola.

"Don't be too long," chuckled one of the men.

They walked out shutting the door behind them.

Nikola grinned.

"This is going to be fun," he whispered to her.

"How so?" she glared at him, throwing her nightgown to the floor as she scurried about to find her suitcase and change into something appropriate. Nikola watched her do so intently.

"I so enjoy being your fiancé," he sighed. She glared at him and tossed a shoe at him, he only just dodged it.

"So you were right, we were being followed," she shoved her skirt and blouse on before roughly packing all the rest of her things into her suitcase. "And you were right about Carter's men coming and fetching us."

Nikola chuckled.

"That's what's so fun about it," he hopped with excitement.

"I'm not following," she groaned.

"The fun thing is, we were being followed by Carter's men, and that they're probably coming to get us…but these are not them…I don't know who they are…they're probably going to take us to the middle of the Nile and kill us," he laughed and clapped his hands together. "I love Egypt!"

Helen stared at him dumbfoundedly, pulling her gun from under her pillow.

"You mean…"

"Yep! We're going to double-cross the double-crossers! It's like an Agatha Christie novel!" he continued to laugh.

"I don't exactly see what makes this whole situation so funny to you," she glared at him.

"Don't you see, Helen, it's an adventure! All we need are some pirates and a curse and my life will be complete," he smiled widely at her. "I haven't had this much fun in years! Not since…well, you remember."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"We shouldn't keep our mysterious kidnappers waiting," she grumbled.

"This will be going into my memoirs entitled "Adventures With Javor"! A tale full of lust, betrayal, and sand!" he grinned like a boy.

Helen smacked his shoulder.

"I swear I'm going to throw you into the Nile and let you get eaten by the crocodiles long before they do," she muttered and pushed past him to the door.

She should've left him in prison.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen stood on the deck of the ferry carrying them along the Nile.

It was a privately owned, small screwed cargo ship, with a few private sleeping quarters, and a man with a gun at every corner.

Helen felt a little nervous, and would have been even a little afraid if the man standing beside her wasn't an immortal genius vampire.

She held his hand, making sure to stay close, not trusting any of these men as far ash she could throw them.

Nikola was just smiling, like it was a ride or a game. Sometimes she wondered how sane he actually he was, but then again, being immortal did take certain danger factors out of the equation for him.

She shivered slightly, damn the temperature dropped in the blink of an eye.

Nikola smirked and removed his coat, draping it over her shoulders.

"How is it we always end up on a boat together?" he chuckled.

Helen glared at him.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she rolled her eyes.

"Except this time we can actually go swimming," he grinned and wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her shoulder to warm her up.

"Not going to happen," she growled.

"What? I already got you in a bed," he shrugged.

"And don't think that I don't see how much you are enjoying playing up this ruse," she leaned in closer to his warmth despite her words.

"I'm thinking we should convince them we want kids," he joked.

"No, what we should do is get off this boat before they skin us ass backwards and mail us bit by bit to Carter. I knew I shouldn't have trusted any of your schemes, you maybe a genius when it comes to electricity but you are a bum idiot when it comes to practicality!"

"I had to act fast, so I made a bit of a misstep, it's fixable," he shrugged.

"Then fix it…without having to fondle me," she warned him.

"Out of the two of us, I'm pretty sure you were doing most of the fondling," he rubbed the spot on his neck where she had bitten him. Her teeth marks were still visible and she smirked inwardly.

"Don't worry, Helen, I won't let them hurt you, all you have to do is tell me what are optimal destination is, and I'll do all the rest," he stepped away from her.

"My contact was to meet us in Asyut, but that's almost 10 hours away, I don't know if we can stay that long," Helen's eyes darted around, keeping a watchful eye on their captors.

"We won't have to. I believe they have a car," shrugged Nikola.

"Nikola, we're in the middle of the river," she stared at him incredulously.

"Not for long," he elongated his nails for a second and grinned.

Helen kept staring at him.

"I'll be right back my sweet…I'm going to go find a…washroom," he snuck away and Helen watched him leave.

She sighed and shivered again, deciding to head inside to the small quarters they had given them to stay in.

She wanted to slap herself, not just for letting Nikola get them in this mess, but by also letting herself getting carried away with his antics.

Nikola always had schemes, even when he said he didn't.

But he had felt, and tasted, and smelt…she shook her head, it was foolish, it was nothing, just Nikola.

She lay down on her coat, wrapping his jacket tight around her; she wasn't going to let herself fall for him again, last time had been a disaster, both times, both literally and figuratively.

At some point she had fallen asleep, as she was rudely awakened by the door being slammed open and Nikola being tossed in.

"What the hell is going on?" she cried.

"We caught your fiancé snooping about!" shouted one of the men. "We have to keep you two out of trouble!"

"What?" Helen was suddenly grabbed by the wrists and handcuffed to her "fiancé" and left tied up on the bed.

The door was locked behind them and as soon as they were alone Helen turned her gaze over at him.

"What did you do?" she growled.

"So, I got caught, just a little, not doing anything bad, but we are definitely not dealing with the sunshine wagon, they've got firearms and crates full of stuff that I'm pretty sure is stolen. So, bad guys…that's probably my fault, but hey, they are also incomprehensibly stupid, for such a large operation," in a second Nikola hand used his talons to free himself and began freeing her. "I managed to find us away off this ship. Luckily these new fangled things were built with my genius in mind, but not my vampirism. I'm practically driving the ship as we speak."

Nikola hopped off the bed and grabbed their suitcases.

"To the car, my love," he grinned, breaking down the reinforced steel door without breaking a sweat.

Helen grinned slightly. She knew there was some reason she had brought him along.

"How are we getting off?" she asked, talking in a hushed whisper to not give away their position.

"You'll see," he chuckled, peeking his head around the corner, seeing two guards patrolling around a large car-sized item covered by a cloth.

As Helen watched, the two men's guns suddenly sprung to life in their hands and began smacking them in the head until both men lay unconscious.

Nikola chuckled.

"This is fun, isn't it?" he looked at her before bounding towards one of the guns and picking it up. "We might need this."

He uncovered the automobile and plopped their cases into the trunk before getting behind the driver's wheel.

Helen followed, getting into the passenger seat.

"Get down," he gestured.

"What? What is going to happen? How are we going to get this to shore?" she asked.

"Just a few more seconds."

Suddenly she heard some yelling coming from the helm.

Sounded like the captain was arguing with some of the sailors. Then she smelt smoke. Then the whole world was enveloped by a large explosion sound, making Helen cover her ears.

Nikola sprung up starting the car with a flick of the wrist.

"They're getting away!" cried someone.

"THE AUTO!" cried another.

"THEY'RE TRYING TO ESCAPE!"

"Tell Howie we said Hi!" Nikola called back to them.

"Nikola, what are you doing?" Helen looked over at him, wideeyed as she had the sneaking suspicion of what his escape plan was. "You are not driving this thing off the boat!"

"Just watch me!" he grinned with excitement.

"You are going to kill us both!" she cried.

"I won't," he sighed, changing the cars gears and starting to drive it. "Water should be shallow enough...better old on to something Helen."

"YOU ARE INSANE!" Helen screamed.

"YES I AM!" he laughed maniacally.

His foot slammed on the acceleration and before Helen could do anything they were airborne. Helen screamed as the car flew off the boat and into the not-so-shallow-as-expected river below them. Heads almost completely submerged, but despite this he kept pushing on the accelerator and soon they drove up on to the shore. Helen sucked in the largest breath she had ever had as the car hit sand.

"AHAHA! IT WORKED!" he cried triumphantly.

Another explosion came from the boat.

Helen stared at him, wide-eyed and a little dazed.

"Don't you just love adventure!" he grinned at her. "Wooo!"

Helen sputtered water.

"You…are never…driving…again!" she growled.

Helen heard the familiar sounds of guns being fired, and a bullet whizzed past her head.

"Drive you bloody bastard, drive!" she cried.

"Gotcha!" Nikola nodded stepping on the gas and leaving sand tracks behind him as he and Helen drove off the sandy banks of the Nile, another explosion from the boat acting as send off.

Nikola laughed amusedly until Helen's pointed glare fixed with his.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," she crossed her arms.

"I'm guessing, the phrase, "Happy Honeymoon, darling" won't work?" Nikola smiled sheepishly.

"What do you think?"

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Kicking off the new arch with a bang!

Here is some fun for you, Sanctuary meets the Mummy :P Yes Nikola is already causing trouble, and trying to get Helen in a bed, but really would you expect anything less of him?

If you haven't read my story Seasick…some references in this chappie might not make any sense. It was designed to fit into this timeline, but I didn't want to rewrite it again to actually put it into the story, so I just say, if you want to know what all the past references about being on a boat…well, then read Seasick.

The references to Paris, though…that would be I believe chapter 18…somewhere around there. Reread if you need a reboot!

Happy Belated Valentine's Day btw, I did nothing but eat popcorn and watch depressing Joxer episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, and sing Les Mis in the shower…yes I have no life, how can you tell? So nothing really special for me, but I did write this…and it was full of some lovely moments, so I make up for it. Seriously though…too busy to think about Valentine's, all I want to do is sleep, that would be a blessing. Theatre school is not for the feint of heart…or feint of anything really, but somehow I manage to still write for you guys…so this is my Valentines gift for you. Greatest thing ever! Eating a heart shaped cookie…not like the fake heart-shaped cookie, like an honest to goodness, anatomically correct with icing veins heart cookie, it was awesome! And rather tasty…came with some good puns too…EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

No news on season 5 yet…but we must keep up the faith! Teslen will reign! If not then I'll have to stalk J-Yo to Toronto, ye-yeh!

Has fun, mah dallins! Have a heart shaped Niko cookie for the season, and go watch some horror films, cause seriously, who wants to watch cheesy rom-coms on Valentines! I want to see blood and guts and anatomically correct heart cookies, that what I call Valentines!


	44. Lost Among the Dunes (2)

**Chapter 44 – Lost Among The Dunes**

_**~~~~Egypt, 1918~~~~**_

One year.

It had been one entire year since their arrival to this desert.

What had started out as an adventure had quickly turned into a tedious and rather sandy endeavor with hardly any results to show for it. Once Nikola and Helen had reached Asyut and met Helen's contact, who provided all the necessary supplies and equipment, it had been smooth sailing, so to speak.

Aside from a few mishaps with the workers and a sandstorm that lasted a day and a half, nothing, absolutely nothing had happened since their rather riveting arrival…and Nikola was bored.

He hated archeology, he hated sand, he hated the sun, he hated drinking water out of a cantina, he hated having to reposition his tent every week or so, he hated running out of hair slick, he hated bugs, he hated having nothing to do, he hated modifying the vehicle's engine for the fifteenth time, he hated how many designs he had drawn in the sand that someone carelessly stepped on, he hated not having any paper, he hated not having a desk, even if he did he would hate it. He hated this whole thing…except her.

She stood at the edge of the open tent, reveling in the cool evening air. Her hair was done up tightly to keep it off her face and neck, and she wore a pair of beige trousers, brown knee-high boots, a light and a dark vest; still managing to look like a lady despite her gentlemanly garb.

She was watching the workers as the lights surrounding the camp began to flicker to life, allowing them to work well into the night for this goddess; and all of them would.

Helen Magnus had this unmistakable power to charm people into doing things they didn't want to do…mostly him.

Nikola sat on his chair just inside the tent, cradling a glass of wine; his ration for the evening.

His jacket was draped over the arm and his vest was unbuttoned, allowing the cooling air to lower his body temperature to a more tolerable level.

A gramophone drawled in the back of the tent, creating a rustic, yet comfortable atmosphere.

"Helen, will you sit down and drink your tea before it grows cold and sprouts legs," he teased, taking a small sip from his wine glass.

"Just admiring the view Nikola. I have a feeling that we're close…"

"Close to what? A mine? To winter? A five-star restaurant?" he joked, leaning back in his chair a ways.

"To something important," Helen clarified. "Something that will change the tides in our favor."

"Helen, Carter is in the west practically developing his own colony, with the Horacians directly to the North, and lord knows who else is on the search in the other directions. We've all been searching for the same thing for the same amount of time, some longer, what makes you think that we, out of all that, are standing atop the Holy Grail of Egyptian mummies."

"I never said the tomb was here, but something that could lead us to the tomb…"

"Yes, the much fabled tablet that had disclosed the locations of Tut's tomb whatever thousand years ago he died, but does it actually exist?" Nikola looked at her skeptically. She knew he was just making conversation, he would follow her down the Nile and back again in a canoe of she asked, but that didn't stop him from asking questions.

"Many scrolls and ancient texts have depicted it, several also claiming that this tablet was stolen and lost around this area…that's our advantage," Helen turned to him and smiled widely.

"What? That we got here first?" Nikola asked.

"No, we are the only ones on the search for the tablet. Carter is searching for the tomb, directly going off evidence from other texts, the Horacians would rather bully their way to find it than do any searching of their own, and anyone else who knows about the tablet either doesn't believe it exists or doesn't know where to find it, hence: the advantage!"

Nikola shook his head.

"Alright," he shrugged. "I still doubt we'll find anything of use in this vast wasteland, but as long as we keep receiving wine with our weekly supplies I wont complain."

Helen scoffed.

Nikola ignored it.

"We still don't know if we're going to find the tomb though," he added before taking a generous sip of wine.

"I have a feeling…a good feeling." Helen sighed.

"Are you sure it's not just the sun…or my intoxicating presence?" he teased with a devious grin. Helen laughed and rolled her eyes at him.

"Please, you've barely lifted a finger during this excavation," she finally sat down beside him, taking her now cold tea off the small table between them and sipped it.

"I have been working! Who do you think has been powering this place?" he said indignantly, gesturing to the lit camp before them.

"That's hardly what I meant and you know that," she scowled at him.

"I'm not an archeologist and you know that, I am here for technical support, and if need be to assist…so far, you haven't required my assistance in the ditch digging process, "I'm more or less here to keep you company."

Helen laughed.

"Well you are doing an excellent job," she leaned over and pecked his cheek.

"That's all I want is a little gratitude," he mumbled.

"I know," she teased him.

"I mean I've been on my best behavior," he whimpered into his wine glass and Helen laughed.

"Yes you have. I just forget how sensitive you are sometimes," she teased.

"I'm not sensitive, I just like to know that my work is appreciated sometimes you know," he shrugged.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Stop your whining," she groaned.

"I still don't see why you enjoy this so much," he looked up at her.

"It's discovery, it's uncovering something no one has seen in thousands of years and being the first to find it. You very well understand my excitement, you just don't share it for artifacts and tombs," she looked back at him

"Yes, because tombs are stupid. If I ever expire on this earth I plan to be cremated and my ashes poured into my Nobel Prize," he joked.

"No seriously, what would you really want done with your body?" she looked at him earnestly.

"As long as I'm with you I'll rest in peace," he looked back at her with a wide grin.

"I mean it!" she smacked him, trying not to laugh. "Your ashes, where do you want them?"

"Seriously?"

She nodded.

"Remember that spot in the park near Oxford University, with the pond and the willow tree?" he looked at her honestly.

"Yes," she smiled softly. "It's where we first met."

"There, under the willow by the pond. If I'm ever to have a final resting place that's where'd I'd like to be," he finished off his glass of wine and looked back outside of the tent.

"May I ask why?" Helen watched him carefully.

"A lot of my happy memories were spent under that tree," he shrugged simply. "I really can't think of a better place."

He turned and smiled at her, one of his few honest smiles. Helen smiled softly in return.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked randomly.

The question took him off-guard.

"What? You, uh, want to dance?" he looked at her a bit baffled.

"Yes, that night sky is just asking for it," she grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet before running to the gramophone and switching it to something more danceable.

She went back to him and soon they were dancing a slow waltz to the music, his hand just resting on her small of her back, and her head resting on his shoulder.

"This is weird," he chuckled.

"How so?" Helen asked.

"I've never danced with a person wearing trousers," he chuckled some more. Helen joined him.

"Is it too new age for you?" she teased.

"No, no, I like it…it's just different," he smirked. "I can get used to it though."

"How long will that taaa!" her thought was cut off by him dipping her dramatically to the song. His hand came to grasp her leg for support.

"I'm used to it now," he chuckled.

"You cad," she giggled. Looking up into his grey-blue eyes.

He brought her back up. She felt even closer to him as they continued to sway to the music.

He spun her and she ended up with her back pressed up against chest, still moving with him.

"You always were an excellent dancer," she sighed.

"My first crush taught me," he chuckled.

"Really? Who was it?" she asked.

"A much older woman," he answered.

"It wasn't your mom, was it?" she joked.

"No, it wasn't my mom. My father was an orthodox priest; even sneezing was considered a sin. Dancing was taboo in our household, not like it stopped my sisters," he chuckled. "But no, my first crush, I was 8. She was an old woman my father sent me to look after, her name was Nada, she was about 82."

Helen giggled.

"You had a crush on an old woman?"

"Sort of. I was more or less fascinated by her as a human being. She told fantastic stories and was such a free spirit despite her age. She used to play music on the gramophone and just dance around the house. I watched her from the little footstool that I used as a chair."

Nikola spun her the right way around to face him and continued.

"One day she asked me to dance with her. I shook my head because of my father's pious instruction. She just laughed, she had a great laugh, and grabbed me by the hand and said that God wasn't going to condemn me for dancing with an old lady," he chuckled. "I visited her many times and she gave me secret dance lessons till she came down with bronchitis and was bedridden."

"You sound like you were the cutest child," Helen commented.

"I was very cute, thank you very much," he dipped her again.

"Did Nada die?" asked Helen.

"Yes, but she hung on for quite a long time. I was about eleven when she finally passed. Very special woman, I was glad to have met her," he smiled softly.

"Were you the perfect student?" Helen teased.

"She said I had perfect hips for dancing," Nikola chuckled.

"How precious," Helen giggled some more.

"I bet your first crush was interesting," he switched it on her and she was baffled for a moment.

"Well he didn't teach me to dance, so I don't know," she chuckled.

"Try me, who was it?" he prodded.

"It was my father's medical assistant. I was twelve, he was twenty-two. He called me Little Miss and always brought me a single daisy. I learned later that he had done that because my father suggested that I might like it, kind of disappointing really," she chuckled. "I never knew his actual name. I called him Mr. Bailey and that's it."

"Was he handsome?" Nikola asked.

"Quite, well, to an impressionable twelve year-old," she chuckled.

"Did you love him?" asked Nikola.

"Oh no. He wasn't around long enough for that. He was just an intern. It was a two-week long crush," Helen shrugged.

"Who was your first love?" Nikola grinned.

Helen looked up at him, remembering the young man feeding pigeons at the pond in the park by Oxford University. If she was completely honest with herself, Nikola had been the first man to make her want something more, no man before that had done that to her. She had loved him, however briefly.

"It was…" she said nervously, unsure what to say.

"Oh," he stopped. "It was John, wasn't it?"

Helen bit her lip.

"No, it wasn't…it was just some boy I met in school when I was young," she said cryptically. "It was long before I met John."

"Oh," he looked down, feeling embarrassed for jumping to conclusions.

Helen put a hand on his shoulder.

"Nikola, it…" he looked up at her.

"Yes," his eyes met hers, and she saw him, the young man in that park that had become her companion and fellow troublemaker. Still there after all these years.

"It was…" she felt he was getting closer, or maybe she was.

"Yes," his voice was barely a shudder.

She could smell him, the wine off his breath, and she could feel the small tingle of electricity he always seemed to carry.

Their lips just barely touched, when a shout from the pit dragged Helen's attention away. She backed away from him and looked to the source of the cry.

"They found something!" she cried.

She turned back at him.

He looked a little lost at the sudden turn of events.

"They found something!" she jumped more excitedly. Grabbing her work gloves from off the desk and rushing towards the pit. "Come on, Nikola!"

Nikola let out a huff and followed.

He was so close.

Helen scampered down the ladder to the middle of the pit where all the commotion was happening.

The workers were shouting in Arabic, "We found it, we found it!"

Nikola's base understanding of the language made him able to translate that much.

Helen rushed over to where they were still carefully trying to extract it from the ground. Her kit was slung over her shoulder and Nikola followed suit.

"Déplacer, s'il vous plait," she said to them to get through to the artifact. Speaking French as most of the workers understood it.

She kneeled in the sand and spread out her kit next to her. The object was wrapped in an ancient cloth, protecting it from the wear of the sand.

Nikola kneeled beside her and watched her work quietly.

She put on her gloves and over turned the delicate item to unwrap it.

"It's perfectly preserved," Helen said, awestruck.

"Lucky for us," Nikola muttered.

She gently placed the artifact right side up on top of the cloth. The words engraved on it surface clear and readable.

"It's magnificent," she gasped.

"What's it say?" he asked.

Helen read over the ancient text quietly and quickly.

"This is it! Nikola! This is it! We've found it!" she cried triumphantly, throwing her arms around him excitedly.

Nikola was taken aback by the sudden embrace but gladly returned it.

"Whose crazy now!" she teased and he laughed.

"You're right…I'll never doubt you again," he chuckled.

She hugged him again more excitedly.

"We found it! Nikola! I knew we could!" she jumped to her feet, nearly dragging him with her and leapt into his arms.

"This calls for a celebration," he muttered looking up at her.

He laughed seeing her so excited. Hugging him wildly.

"Yes! Drinks for everyone!"

All the workers around them cheered loudly in response, as they carried the delicate artifact topside.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen switched the song on the gramophone to something livelier and had looped Nikola in a much faster, less skilled dance. It was more about celebratory dancing than anything. Nikola laughed as she was acting quite drunk and had only had about half a gulp of the champagne they were currently enjoying.

He hadn't seen her this excited in a long time.

He liked seeing her this happy.

"I knew this past year would be worth it!" she grinned, looking over to the tablet now carefully placed on her desk.

"It isn't worth it until that tablet proves its usefulness," he corrected.

"Can't you just enjoy the success with me, Nikola," she laughed. "You're always so specific."

"I am," he sighed.

"That's good," she smiled.

"But it's because it's hard not to when you're like this," he teased. "That and who can't celebrate when champagne is involved."

"Good point," she took another sip from her glass.

"I'm just happy that you're happy," he smiled at her, putting his glass down, before grabbing her hand and spinning her towards him. "That and I like dancing with you."

He grinned cheekily.

Helen laughed.

"Well, it's the closest you're going to get so enjoy it," she joked before using her finger to push him away; he grabbed the finger and pulled her back to him.

"I will," he grinned and twirled her again, making her laugh.

"I think the champagne is going straight to my head, I need to sit down," she moved out of his arms and collapsed in her chair.

"I could've told you that," he teased, and sat in his chair beside her.

Helen sighed and looked out among the now fully alive camp.

"Now I understand what kept him away all those years," she sighed.

"Your father?" Nikola looked at her.

"England was way too small for my father…it was too small for all of us," she looked at him. "I understand that now."

Nikola smiled slightly.

"Those boys are missing out on quite the adventure," he said.

"Well, James has an aversion to too much excitement, and someone needed to look after the Sanctuary."

"James doesn't have an aversion, he just doesn't like sand in his trousers," joked Nikola.

"That's true, give him a rainforest or a cavern he's all for it, but give him sand…it gets inside the machinery, causes a lot of problems for him," she sighed.

"Yes, the whole bionic heart thing," Nikola looked down sadly.

"It's not bionic, it's a condition and he's convinced that if he can keep his heart pumping he can prolong his life…I can't risk injecting him with my blood in his state," she sighed.

"And Nigel?" asked Nikola.

"Nigel is…somewhere," she sighed. "Keeping below radar at the moment."

Nikola nodded.

"And we haven't seen John since that whole Worth Affair," she added.

"And then there's me," Nikola looked up at her.

Helen met his gaze.

"There is you," she agreed.

"Before we were interrupted you were about to say something," he looked at her seriously. "What was it?"

Helen bit her lip.

"It's nothing, I can't remember," she shook it off but Nikola didn't buy it for a second.

"Yes you do, Helen please…tell me," he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's just…all I was going to say that it's been nice having you here…I couldn't have done this by myself," she patted his hand.

He nodded his head.

"Oh," he retracted his hand. "Helen, you and I both know that you can do whatever you put that beautiful mind to."

Helen chuckled.

"Thank you," she smiled at him.

"Do you want to know who my first love was?" he grinned at her.

"What?" she blinked, confused by the sudden topic change.

"It's only fair, you told me who yours was," he shrugged.

"Alright," she shrugged back.

He looked into her eyes and stared into them deeply.

"It was…yo-"

Suddenly three cars suddenly screeched into the camp disrupting the party.

Gunfire sounded, and the workers scrambled to get away.

Nikola and Helen both stood up.

"Looks like our party is being crashed," Nikola sighed.

"They know about the tablet!" she growled. "Quick Nikola, hide it!"

He nodded and dashed inside the tent as Helen ran to the other side and grabbed her shotgun from its case.

"Helen!" Nikola barked.

"Just put it in a safe place! I will not let them destroy my camp!" she cried, cocking the weapon and stepping out of the tent and shooting at the black automobiles.

Nikola growled, picking up the tablet.

Suddenly he had an idea.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

The main automobile stopped and a large man in a well-tailored suit stepped out of it.

"You must be Helen Carter," his voice was gravelly but smug as Helen approached the car. "Or should I call you Magnus…I've forgotten."

He turned to her, not surprised with the gun barrel in his face.

"You must be Horace," she growled.

"My crew's reputation precedes me," he chuckled.

"Leave my camp!" Helen cocked her weapon again. "Or I will not hesitate in shooting you!"

"Oh I will leave…as soon as you hand over the tablet," he said sternly.

"Never," she snarled.

"Then I'll have to continue to shoot at your crew till you comply," he shrugged.

"They are unarmed, you'll be slaughtering them!" she cried.

"So better you make up your mind sooner rather than later," he signaled his men to continue shooting at the workers they had trapped.

"Stop!" cried Helen.

"You think I'm going to back off with your gun in my face…when you have three pointed at the back of your head," he chuckled.

Helen growled and dropped her weapon in surrender.

"That's better, Helen my dear," he grinned.

"It's Doctor to you!" she barked.

"Hand over the tablet and they can all walk away from this," he bartered.

"I'd rather die than let the tablet fall into your greedy hands!" she bit back defiantly.

"That can be arranged," he pulled out his small pistol from his jacket and aimed it at her head.

"No!" boomed Nikola's voice.

"Ah, this must be the fiancé," Horace laughed. "Shooting you will more than make up for the damage done to my boat."

Helen looked over wearily at Nikola as she saw the tablet wrapped in its cloth in his hands.

"Nikola no!" she cried.

"Take it and go, we want no trouble," he stepped in front of her. "This is what you want."

"It seems he is a more honorable man than you give him credit my dear," Horace chuckled evilly, taking the tablet and gently handing it over to his henchmen. "Unfortunately, I'm not."

He fired off his weapon, shooting Nikola in the head.

"Nikola!" she cried as he fell to the ground. "You said you wouldn't hurt anybody once you had the tablet."

"I said I wouldn't harm them…him, I had a bone to pick," he signaled to his henchmen to return to the automobiles and drive away. "I'd mourn him quickly. Seems like the weather is not favorable for a funeral."

He gestured to the east at a rising and emerging sandstorm that was heading their way.

He got into his car with an evil smirk and drove away.

As soon as he was gone Helen took little time in prying the small caliber bullet from his head.

He gasped.

"Oh that bastard!" he cried. "I oughtta kill him!"

"He's gone, Nikola…and there's no time…sand's coming," she looked at the retreating forms of the workers. This was too dangerous for them now. She'd have to leave them when this storm passed and let them get picked up by her contact to be taken home.

"Lets go before someone sees you being raised from the dead," she pulled him to his feet and they ran as fast as they could to beat the storm. Helen grabbed a blanket from her tent, Nikola grabbed a bottle of wine and a few cantinas of water they made for the car and drove off the camp.

_**~~~~A Hours Later~~~~**_

The storm passed relatively quickly.

Helen pushed the tarp off her and Nikola and shook the sand out of her hair.

Nikola grumbled, his whole head shaking with sand.

"Have I mentioned that I hate those," he grumbled, popping open the wine bottle and taking a long swig from it.

"Several times," she sighed.

"I hate the desert," he shook the sand from his head some more. "I don't like dirt!"

Helen groaned.

"This is a bloody mess!" she dropped her head into her hands.

Nikola spat out some sand.

"Our camp is scattered, you were shot…now Horace has the tablet…" she groaned.

"Don't be so sure of that," Nikola drank another swig from the bottle.

"Nikola you gave it to him, I saw you give it to him!" she cried.

"No, you saw me give him something that looked like the tablet," he smirked and unbuttoned his vest and pulled out the tablet. "What he's got is a slab of sand rock with some scratches on it, it'll disintegrate before he reaches the Nile."

Helen cried with triumph.

"You brilliant, brilliant man!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and kissing him strong and chaste. The kiss took him by surprise and nearly knocked the wind out of him as she released him and snatched the tablet from him.

"If I knew you were going to do that…"

"Horace won't know what hit him," she chuckled, staring at it admiringly.

"So what do we do now?" he asked. "I mean, instead of sitting here…lost among the sand dunes."

"It'll have to be just the two of us, we'll have to make our way back to the camp, collect supplies then move on from there…I won't have anymore innocent men be used as fodder for Horace's attacks."

She stood up and swiped her pants.

"It should be no more than a half a day's walk," she sighed.

"Or we could drive," Nikola gestured to the jeep.

"You think it still works?" she asked.

"Helen, I've been mostly bored out here while you've been playing archeologist, how do you think I've been spending my time?" he asked.

"Whining," she teased.

"Yes, and playing with the only advanced piece of technology around for miles, she'll run, I've modified her to be impervious to sand," he said smugly, getting up and heading over to the vehicle.

"I knew I brought you for a reason," she teased.

"And here I thought it was because of my devilish good looks and charm," he teased back.

They hopped into the vehicle and the engine turned on without a second thought. He smirked over at her.

"Do you love me or do you love me?" he grinned triumphantly.

"Obviously not as much as you love yourself," she teased.

"Joke all you want Helen, I was the hero this round!" he put the car into gear and began driving.

"Nikola," Helen sighed.

"What is it?" he looked over at her.

"You're driving the wrong way."

"Oh, I knew that."

He turned the car around.

"The camp is that way," Helen pointed.

"I was getting there."

"Do you want me to drive?"

"No."

"Cause it seems like you're lost."

"Is it my fault that every dune in this desert looks the same?

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

A new chappie to hopefully satisfy your Teslen need...my week long break is almost over...life is about to be swamped. AH!

Did a little edit, hopefully i fixed all those dreaded mistakes :P


	45. Must Be The Heat Part 1 (3)

**Chapter 45 – Must Be The Heat Part 1 (3)**

Three years.

It was beginning to venture into their third year of traipsing around the desert. Three years of endless tombs and grave sights, digging for anything, using their hands when the shovel and spoons broke. Three years of sandstorms and oasis' where they would have to bathe at separate ends of the pool. Three years of dancing in their successes, drinking in their failures, and holding hands as they dodged bullets and dashed out of crowded markets. Three years of sharing one tent with two bedrolls.

Nikola looked up at his partner in crime. Three years of just them. It had been a roller coaster of emotions for him. One minute he loathed the sight of her and everything she did annoyed him, the next he couldn't get enough of it. They fought, teased, danced, drank, ran, walked, swam, and dug together. It all came down to one solid conclusion: he was deeply and irreversibly in love with her. Before he was just in love, but now he knew he desired no one else but her, he would crawl through valleys of broken glass and barbed wire naked and on his belly for her, even if she didn't return those feelings he would still love her until she did.

He hated being so close to her, yet he loved being with her and having them be almost as close as they were in Oxford, perhaps closer, but he hated it at night when she'd be sleeping so close to him in her bedroll that he could feel her shift in her sleep. He could smell her, and each night had become an exercise in self-control for him. She had no idea how many times he'd come close to breaking, to shifting that extra few inches over and wrapping his arms around her, just to hold her.

She had no idea what all her teasing glances did to him. How he would sneak glances while she was bathing just to admire her and fantasize taking her in the hot sand.

Every bump, brush, and accidental touch was like torture.

Nikola looked up from the hole they were digging to eye her, watching for a brief second.

Helen had her sleeves rolled up and the top buttons of her shirt loosened as they toiled away under the hot sun. Even in this state she was more beautiful than any woman he'd ever known.

"Quickly Nikola," she muttered to him.

He got distracted far too easily out here.

"I know," he quickly returned to their task.

"We can't be seen," she muttered.

"I got that," he muttered back.

"We're close…we're far too close," she kept muttering.

"I understand," he replied.

"If Howard catches us we're done with," she checked their surroundings before continuing to dig furiously.

"As you've explained a hundred times," he rolled his eyes.

"Then why do you keep pausing?" she growled quietly.

"Helen, it's mid-day, it's three hundred degrees too hot even in shade, I'm sweating in places I'm pretty sure shouldn't sweat, and I'm not even sure what we're looking for, excuse me for taking a brief respite to catch my breath," he growled back.

"You're a vampire," she teased,

"Yah, but I'm not crazy like you," he teased back.

"I'm not crazy!" she cried indignantly, however hushed.

"Says the girl in the sand pit looking for lost treasure to the man covered in dirt," he swiped his forehead. "Damn it, it's hot!"

"Nikola, we are about a mile to Carter's camp, in his territory, looking for something that could be a game changer, we just have to work diligently before we're caught," she sighed.

"Yes, because the last game changer really worked out well, the magical tablet of bupkiss!" he groaned. "This tomb is probably a pile of rubble covered by sand and rocks with Tuten-catastrophe probably crushed beneath it, and we're just wasting our time!"

"Then leave then, if it's such a waste, why not just go?" she snarled at him.

"I'm not going to do that and you know it," he glared at her.

"Why not?" she met his gaze.

"Because the reason I'm here is to protect you and I won't leave unless you leave," he sighed.

"I don't need your protection, Nikola, I need your support, I need you to help me with this, why do you think I asked you here?"

Nikola opened his mouth to say something but shut it immediately.

The answer was all too simple yet so hard to say. He loved her, and he hoped she'd asked him here because she felt the same way,

They were so close together, it wouldn't be that hard to just reach over and kiss her, nevermind the sand he would undoubtedly swallow. He wanted to run his fingers through the sandy sweaty mess that was her hair, he wanted to make love to her underneath the blazing sun. He didn't care one wink about the tomb and it's secrets, he only cared about her and fulfilling her wishes.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "The sun must be getting to me."

He returned to digging.

"I know, I'm sorry too. I've dragged you along on this as a favor and you have every right to despise the conditions I've put you in. I've just got this feeling you know, that there's something important in this tomb my father wants me to find, and you know my father, every action he ever took was deliberate."

He nodded.

"Yes."

"I can't give up now, not when we're so close," she placed her hand on his and he paused, looking at it.

He took her hand in his.

"And we won't," he gently squeezed it. "As I said, I don't leave unless you leave with me."

Helen nodded,

A sound of a truck blasted in the distance and Helen and Nikola's heads snapped towards it.

"Time to go!" he yanked her hand and pulled her out of the hole to where they had parked the auto.

Helen had no time to protest.

They were in the car and moving before her brain caught up.

"Nikola, we can't leave!" she shouted.

"Helen, they'll spot us if we don't, we'll come back later in the dead of night, sometime, just not now!" he sighed.

"They're going to see the hole, they'll know we've been there, they'll cover it up or investigate it. They could find what we're looking for! We had one chance to find it and you just blew it!" she cried, the tears brimmed her eyes and Nikola bit his lip, turning to look at the desert.

They reached their camp just outside the perimeter of Howard's territory, a couple miles from where they were digging; their lone tent sitting out amongst a landscape of dunes.

A fire pit sat nearby, with a few cooking utensils surrounding it. Their was a makeshift workbench on the shadowed side of the tent where Nikola would work on his own designs. Helen had a clothesline hanging with the few articles of clothing they had. It was their home, so to speak.

Nikola parked the auto at the entrance to their camp and Helen jumped out angrily.

Nikola followed silently.

Helen marched to the tent and went inside while Nikola went to check on the stew he had left cooking over the pit before they left. It wasn't his best work but it would suffice.

Helen re-emerged with a canteen of water, tossing it at him.

"Your ration!" she barked.

"My gratitude overwhelms me," he sighed and went over to pick it up.

"Bloody idiot," she growled and went back inside the tent.

Nikola groaned and followed her, fed up with her mood.

"Why is this so freaking important, Helen? What could be so bloody special about this one tomb that'd you'd go through all this trouble to find it! What pot of gold is at the end of this rainbow, Helen? Answer me that! And don't spin up some bull about your father's work, your father had theories about many things, many places. Why here, in the middle of the damn desert, why?"

Helen turned to him, her eyes blazing.

"You wouldn't understand!" she cried.

"Then make me! Helen, I'm trying desperately to understand all of this, I've been doing so for the whole three damn years we've been here! I don't get it! I get why the Horacians are after it, I get why Carter is after it, I just don't get you. You don't try this hard for something that might be there, there's something more. There's a reason you chose me, there's a reason you are willing to face death and hardships on a theory. Just tell me!"

A tear escaped Helen's eye.

"He's gone, Nikola! He was taken before his time, in the middle of his work and I want to know why! He did months of research, when he came back from Mecha this was his next destination. I was going to go with him; we were going to search this place together. I spent years studying his notes, trying to understand what was calling him here. I need closure Nikola, I need to do this one thing for him, to complete his last unfinished project so that I can live a day without expecting him to walk through the front doors of the Sanctuary any moment bearing gifts from his latest travels. Do you understand that Nikola?"

Nikola was silent for a moment. Of course she had to have a simple and heartfelt reason for all this turmoil. But one question was left unanswered.

"But why me?" he asked, hoping, wishing, praying for the answer to change.

"I told you, I needed someone with the necessary strength and stamina to assist me. I needed someone I trusted would help me, you were my best option," she sighed.

"Is that all?" he asked, his heart sinking once again.

"What do you want me to say, Nikola?" she groaned. "I needed somebody to help me and that somebody was you, there's nothing more to it."

Nikola averted his gaze, suddenly feeling foolish.

"I see," he muttered. "Well, alright then."

Helen growled.

"What does that mean, Nikola? You aske me for honesty but you refuse to give me any in return. Why did you come? Why does this matter so much to you?" she yelled, and his gaze lifted.

"I…I'm…It's…"

"Well?"

"Because I thougt you…needed me, and I haven't been needed in a long time. Plus I thought at the time that I had no choice in the matter…"

"I do need you, Nikola. You're the only one I've got in this desert, but I also need you to just go with me on this one, I need you to trust me…please,  
her tears returned full force and Nikola didn't hesitate in pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace.

"Of course," he whispered to her.

She hugged him tightly and cried into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he continued.

She pulled out of his arms.

"It's nothing…it's the sun, it's stress," she went and lay down on her bedroll with a heavy sigh. "It's the bloody heat."

Nikola chuckled weakly.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked and Helen looked at him and nodded.

"Can you…no, it's ridiculous, nevermind," he sighed.

"What is it?" he coaxed her gently.

"Could you possibly just…hold me for a while?...See it's ridiculous."

Nikola silently lay down next to her and tugged her into his arms.

"It's not ridiculous, Helen, if it's what you need," he wrapped his arms around her gently, pulling her back against his chest, feeling her ribs move with each inhale and exhale.

Helen relaxed into him, one of her hands gently taking his and squeezing.

"I couldn't have gotten this far without you," she whispered wearily, suddenly feeling very heavy.

Nikola didn't respond but just continued to hold her. He wondered if she could hear his heart beating as loudly as he could. Could she feel it thumping against her back? Were his palms sweaty? Was he breathing shallowly? Was he giving his feelings away by holding her this closely? Would she misinterpret them?

By the time he had run all the questions through his mind, Helen had drifted off to sleep.

He smiled as he watched her, her hand still entwined in his.

He leaned over and pecked her cheek then lay back and closed his eyes, allowing himself to pretend for just a brief moment that this was real.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen woke up a few hours later. The sun had fallen completely out of the sky, replaced with lower temperatures and a big bright moon casting a glow through the open flap of the tent.

Helen shivered slightly, the sweat off her body cooling and growing more and more closer to the warm body next to her.

Nikola was sleeping, strangely enough, his arm draped around her; she could hear him breathing shallowly. She twisted in his arms to look at him through the dim light. She couldn't remember the last time she had watched him sleep.

Helen scooted close enough that they were almost nose to nose. She could just make out his silhouette before her. The moonlight highlighted one side of his face, giving his sleeping form and ethereal quality. She reached out a hand and caressed his cheek gently. He stirred suddenly but continued snoozing.

Her fingers just grazed the edge of his hairline. He smelt just like he always did, like sand and oil, and a fine aged wine.

She leant in, as if to brush their lips together, but hesitated. What was she doing?

She had no reason to kiss him, she just felt compelled to do it, just in this moment of peace where he was so blissfully at rest. A simple touch, just a brief taste, but lord know what would happen if he woke up that fraction too early, or late…or if the one taste wasn't enough.

She decided to risk it, thinking that he may never be in this position for her to do this ever again.

She leaned in slowly, their lips almost touching when he suddenly shuddered to life, disoriented enough for her shuffle a fair distance away before he realized how close they'd been. She closed her eyes and clamed her breath down to feign sleep.

His arm left her waist, and he sat up.

Helen pretended stir and then opened her eyes. He was listening for something.

"Nikola?" she said as groggily as she could manage. "What is it?"

"I don't know, I thought…" he looked to her and where she was lying. "I thought I heard something, must've been a dream or the wind or something."

He rested back down, lying on his back.

"What time is it?" he groaned, fumbling around his person for his pocket watch. It was a bit after midnight.

Helen crawled up next to him and tested her head against his shoulder, her arm encircling his waist.

"Helen, what are you doing?" he looked over at her skeptically.

"I'm cold," she stated simply.

"So, naturally you cuddle up next to the vampire for warmth," he chuckled.

"You're the warmest body around," she shrugged.

"I could make you warmer," he teased with a leering gaze.

"Could you now?" Helen rolled her eyes.

"Don't tempt me, Helen. I bite," he joked and Helen snorted.

"You bluff," she corrected.

He took no time in grabbing her and rolling her under him.

"Do I?" he teased.

Helen's eyes were wide with shock at his move.

"You better," she warned.

"How so?" he hovered above her, his hair sticking up at odd angles.

"Because I bite as well," she suddenly flipped them so that she straddled his hips atop him.

It was his turn to look at her in shock, not expecting that answer or that move.

"Helen, I…"

Before he could finish his thought, she lowered her hips harshly and ground against him to still his tongue, enjoying how his eyes rolled back with the sensation.

Nikola let out a strained groan.

"As I said, Nikola, you bluff. I, however, call your bluff," she teased. "Hence why I win, better luck next time."

"Oh the game is far from over, Helen," he said defiantly, gaining control back. His hands snaked to his hips and held them firmly as he hauled himself up to sitting, meeting her face to face. "You bluff as well, calling my bluff with an even bigger bluff, but I wonder how far you're willing to go."

Helen growled, grabbing the hair at the back of his head.

"As far as I need to, to show you how hopeless you are," she teased.

"That may be a long way to go," he grinned deviously.

Helen released his head with enough force to shove him back to the ground, her knee pressing into his abdomen. It didn't take him long to move his hand towards that knee and squeeze it gently, moving it off his stomach and to the floor. Helen was so distracted by the hand on her knee that she did not see the hand sneaking around to her butt and grabbing a handful of it.

She shrieked instinctually and slapped her across the face.

He laughed and flipped her over so she was under him again.

"I hate you," she snarled.

"Because I don't play fair?" he teased.

"No, because you play dirty," she noticed her knee was lying in between his legs. Without a second thought she shot it upwards.

Nikola flopped to the ground beside her, holding his crotch.

"Fortunately I can do the same," Helen sat up and smirked. "What is that now? Three for three?"

"Three?" he gasped.

"I won the fight, I won the bluff, and now I've won your counter bluff," she said triumphantly.

"You cheated on all three counts," he groaned sitting up.

"Not my fault you get distracted so easily," she teased.

"Does the loser at least get a consolation prize?" he looked at her innocently.

"What does the loser want?" she smirked, not trusting his puppy dog eyes.

He pointed to his cheek.

She knew exactly what that meant, and she smirked.

"Fine," she sighed.

She scooted up to him on her knee and leaned in to kiss his cheek. He turned his head at the last second and her lips met his in a strong kiss. Helen squeaked, moving to pull away when his hands came up to hold her there. She relaxed in the kiss then, momentarily distracted by how tender yet forceful it was.

It wasn't until her back hit the ground that she broke the kiss. He was lying on top of her, breathing heavily, and smirking insufferably.

"You cad," she growled.

He chuckled.

"I win," he said breathlessly.

He leaned back down again and caught her lips again, this time she welcomed him openly.

The kiss was interrupted suddenly, when the tent flaps flew open and a bright light encompassed their quite compromising position.

Nikola could tell it was the headlights of an auto because he could smell the gas and hear the sound of the engine. It wasn't their auto, he could recognize the sound of it, it was somebody else's.

"Sorry for the interruption," came a thickly cockney accent through the ghastly haze of light. "But Carter would like to speak with yous two if ya don't mind."

Helen looked at Nikola and he looked back at her.

"Carter?" asked Nikola.

"Yeah, says he wants to meet with ya and now would be more preferable than later. He wants to make a deal with ya," said the man behind the lights.

"And what if we refuse?" Helen interceded into the conversation.

"It's best if ya don't, Miss Magnus," said the man.

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"Come with me and Carter'll be able to answer that himself," the man turned off the headlights and opened the car doors. "Your chariot awaits."

Nikola looked at Helen once more and then gracefully got to his feet and helped her up.

Helen was curious now, but as the two of them approached the car to get inside, she grabbed his hand and held on to it tightly.


	46. Must Be The Heat Part 2 (4)

**Chapter 46 – Must Be the Heat Part 2 (4)**

Helen and Nikola stepped out of the car, hands still entwined, and right into the heart of Carter's camp. They were surrounded by tents, the smell of earl grey, and Englishmen with rifles.

The cockney man got out of the car. Helen noticed he had a small limp as he walked. He gestured to them to follow him to the main tent in the epicenter of the camp; she assumed it was Carter's personal quarters.

The camp was lit by torches, and there was a large fire pit not far from where they stood; some of the men were cooking a stew of some sort of its hearth.

Helen squeezed Nikola's hand tighter; he looked at her and smiled softly. She knew that meant he would never let any harm come to her.

The cockney opened the flap of the tent and welcomed them inside with a crooked smile. He was short, about 5'8", dirty brown hair, and a day's worth of growth on his chin, even more on his teeth. There was a small bandage on his forehead above his right eyebrow. Despite his ragged appearance he was dressed in a nice tailored suit, with a black bowler on top.

"This way ma'am…and sir," he grinned mischievously at Nikola, and their entwined hands. Nikola glared back, deliberately putting himself between the man and Helen as they entered the tent.

The tent was well furnished, with all the English comforts all Englishmen seemed to not be able to travel without, mostly, a sitting room set up, a china tea set, a gramophone in the corner, and a bottle of aged brandy.

Nikola smirked. So British.

Carter entered from a separate section of the tent, possibly his private room.

He looked over to his henchmen.

"Well done Creedy, you found them," he nodded to the cockney man. "I hope we didn't take you away from anything important."

"Well…" Nikola started.

"Unfortunately sir, I did interrupt them during a rather intimate moment," inserted Creedy.

"Really?" Carter looked at them, noticing their entwined hand.

Helen released Nikola's hand instantly.

"We were working," she said firmly.

"Snogging," corrected Creedy with a small chuckled. Nikola shot him another glare.

"Well, no matter, can I offer you a drink?" Carter went over to the small table with the brandy resting on top. He poured a glass ad held it out to Helen.

Helen stared at him suspiciously.

"No thank you," Helen said dismissively.

Nikola's jaw stiffened and he sniffed derisively at the man, keeping his place beside Helen.

"Very well then, please sit down," Carter gestured to the seats in the middle of the room.

"What do you want from us? You didn't kidnap us here in the middle of the night for a social gathering now, did you?" Helen stood her ground.

"You, the English, they'll do anything for a tea party," Nikola shrugged jokingly.

Carter chuckled slightly.

"Your Yankee friend has quite the sense of humor, Dr. Magnus," Carter ignored her protest and sat down with his glass of brandy, relaxing into the soft cushioned chair.

"Yankee?" Nikola snapped indignantly. "I'm Serbian, born and raised, I only live in America for economical reasons."

"Oh, forgive me, you have no accent," apologized Carter.

Nikola opened his mouth to say something but Helen stilled him, causing him to bite his lip and glare quietly.

"Enough of the chitchat, if you don't mind, tell us why you brought us here?" Helen reiterated firmly. "And how do you know my name?"

"I was alerted to your presence in Egypt a few years ago when I heard a rumor that one of my beloved sisters was traveling with her fiancé to see me. Naturally I was curious, for all my sisters happily married mothers and wives, and none have ever gone by the name of Helen. So I did a bit of searching of my own, and soon it all began to make sense. But I knew of you way before then. I knew your father, Gregory…my condolences."

"Much obliged," Helen continued to watch him suspiciously.

"I met him years ago; he loved the world and all it's wonders. I shared that sentiment, though I cared lot more for it's riches than it's genetic makeup. He wanted to study the evolution of time and people, I wanted to reclaim some of our past; we had some very interesting conversations. He always wanted to come back to Egypt; he believed there was something out there, aside from mummified bodies and old tombs. I assume that's why you're here, on the hunt for the tomb?"

"Yes, my father believed there was something in this desert that could help advance his work," Helen nodded.

"Before his disappearance he had sent me a letter, he must've heard of my excursions through this desert and he wanted my help, possibly to search for whatever you're looking for now. I've been trying to find you and your friend for years, you never let us get close until now."

Helen looked over at Nikola, who smirked out of the corner of his mouth knowingly. Helen knew what he was thinking. They had been distracted, if they weren't he would've heard them coming a mile away, but at the time all she had heard or seen or felt was him. Helen couldn't even remember what had happened that had ended with him on top of her, lips locked in a tender yet purposeful kiss. She couldn't remember who initiated it, did he kiss her or did she kiss him? Why did they kiss?

Helen looked back at Carter.

"What do you want from us?" asked Helen.

"We share a common enemy, as I'm sure you're well aware, they encroached upon your camp and nearly slaughtered you all," Carter was referencing to the Horacians.

"Yes, they tried to kidnap us as soon as we arrived, and they tried to steal an artifact we'd found. We've been trying to keep on the move so that couldn't get the jump on us again. Trying to stay two-steps ahead of them," Helen answered curtly.

"As you should, they're an disgraceful class of nitwits, lead by a man made up of pure greed. He wants this tomb and it's riches for himself, for the fame; for the money. Whereas you and I have much more selfless goals in mind. I want the thrill of the discovery, I want it's artifacts in a museum to be studied and learned by everyone; I want to uncover what is hidden and you, well…"

"We don't know what we're looking for, we won't know until we get in there," sighed Helen. "My father left out a few things."

"But whatever you want you want for some higher purpose; for something grander than fame and fortune. I knew your father well enough to know he cared a lot more about the science than the profit."

Helen smiled fondly at the thought of her father.

"Yes, he saw the world through a child's eyes and a scientific mind," Helen agreed.

Nikola looked between the two of them. He resisted the urge to scoff; he didn't understand what they were talking about, the Gregory Magnus he knew always treated him with a cold and distant glare. He definitely wasn't here because of that Dr. Magnus.

"My proposal to you is that we join forces. You two have your father's notes; I have the financial backing and manpower. You find what you're looking for and I find what I'm looking for and none of it lands in the hands of the enemy," Carter said blatantly, taking a sip of his brandy.

"How can we trust you won't pull out of the deal once you've found what you're looking for?" Helen eyed him suspiciously again.

"Simple, I'm British," he shrugged.

"Oh I've known some pretty despicable Englishmen in my time, your word and your heritage is not enough," Helen crossed her arms.

Carter grinned and stood up, placing his glass on the small table. He went to his desk and pulled a drawer open, taking out a worn photograph.

"Gregory was a master of judgment. It was like he knew people before he even met them. Like he could look right into your soul and see what kind of person you were. He always knew who to trust, he had a good instinct about things."

He handed the photo to Helen. It was of Carter and her father. Carter looked no more than 17 or 18.

"My first excursion to Egypt assisting Percy Newberry. That's where I met him, at the excavation of the tombs at Beni Hasan. That's where he became my friend…and my doctor," Carter confessed somewhat shyly.

Helen looked up at him sharply.

"You're…?" she started.

"Gregory noticed a strange glint in my eyes and asked if he could run some tests on me. Apparently me and my father's gift for artistry isn't just a shared hobby. My father must've had this mutation in his brain that was passed on to me. He helped me learn and understand and use my ability for the better. He made sense of my entire life, Dr. Magnus. Everything strange and unexplained in my life suddenly had answers to it; they were opened up to me and exposed. I'm eternally grateful to him for that."

"You mean he's a…?" Nikola butted in.

"Yes, I am," Carter answered before Helen could interject. "And I suspect you both are as well."

"How so?" asked Helen.

"All Gregory could ever talk about aside from work was his beautiful daughter Helen, That was when I was seventeen, you would've been a grown woman then, you would be much older than I am, yet you look about twenty years my younger; and he…well, from what I've heard he was shot in the head at point blank range by one of Horace's goons two years ago, yet here he stand before me without a scratch."

"It might not have been me, I could be someone completely different. Did you ever think of that?" Nikola answered with a slight smirk.

"I did, but Mr. Dragoslav, I hear things," said Carter casually. "You don't have to worry. You're amongst friends here, Creedy here is much more than he seems, whereas I have a more hidden abnormality."

"Prove it," Helen challenged.

Carter chuckled and stood up, taking out his drawings.

"My brain as an abnormal growth allowing for a much larger capacity of thought. I don't mean intelligence, I'm talking about my artist's ability to paint a scene from memory or create something completely out of their imagination, but I'm one step forward than that. I look at old hieroglyphs, worn texts, faded paintings, and I see what was there once.

"I heard you were brilliant at recreating the tomb decorations," Helen admitted.

"Hardly, don't know a thing about it, I just draw what is there, what is hidden. It allows me to make such immense and invaluable discoveries, but this one…the young Pharaoh…you're father…"

"My father?" Helen interrupted.

"Yes, Gregory was the one that first sent me on the search. He brought me books, records; told me to start looking for it," Carter sighed.

Helen smirked and looks at Nikola briefly; he smirked knowingly back.

"And you think it is more than just mere coincidence that we're both in the desert now?" asked Helen.

"Gregory is a mastermind, you know that, he always has a grand scheme and he's always giving various people one part of the puzzle, you are one and I am one," Carter nodded.

"What do you think we have that you don't?" asked Nikola.

"You have her," Carter pointed to Helen. "Gregory's prodigy and blood relation, the apple of his eye; he gave her something or told her something that could be the key to the tomb, and I'm willing to share whatever's in it if it furthers your father's work.

Helen bit her lip thoughtfully.

"I don't know Mr. Carter, this is a lovely tale, but you might just be well informed. I don't know if what you're saying is true, not without proof…"

"Ah, I see, but please, give me the opportunity to try, stay the night in my camp and dine with me in the morning. I will layout my entire work schedule to you; I will uncover every rock you wish me to uncover, anything to prove that I am an honest man who deeply respects a great man and his family."

Helen looked sidelong at Nikola.

"That may be permissible," Helen sighed. "As long as you don't separate us."

Carter smirked slightly.

"Of course."

Nikola smirked back and Helen tried not to growl.

"Will you show us to our tent please?" she rolled her eyes at the two men.

"Certainly. Creedy!" Carter ordered and the man limped towards them. "Show Miss Magnus and her…gentleman friend to our guest quarters."

"As you wish, Mr. Carter," he chuckled slightly and gestured for the pair to follow him.

"I look forward to seeing you in the morning at breakfast," Carter smiled kindly as they left.

Helen stayed as close to Nikola as possible without drawing any more false conclusions. She should've just ignored his game as always; why'd she have to get roped into his gimmicks like that all the time? And the kissing…where had that come from…on her part that is, she knew very well where Nikola was coming from.

It was like she couldn't help but play his game, and when he had stolen her kiss the first time she couldn't help but press further; wondering if either would give in before it was too late. Then in a flash of light it was over, and they were left at a particularly compromising stalemate.

That was not the reason she requested they share quarters though; she didn't feel safe and despite how annoying and flirty he could be, she'd much rather have him close by then separated by a hundred other tents.

Creedy stopped in front of an empty tent and opened the flap, gesturing for them to go inside.

It was at this point Helen noticed the extra appendage peaking out from under the hem of his trouser leg. It looked almost reptilian in nature, and the limp she had noticed in him earlier turned out not to be caused by injury, but because the appendage took up space in his pant leg, so his actual leg couldn't bend, causing him to have to limp to get anywhere in a reasonable amount of time.

Point one for Carter. There were abnormals in this camp.

"Have a good sleep," nodded Creedy with a toothy grin and he limped away.

Nikola entered the tent first and she followed closely behind. It was smaller than the main tent, but had two cots on either side, a small desk in the corner, and an oil lamp. Cozy, if a little rugged, but compared to their living quarters for the past three years it was a five star hotel.

"So, where to first, the cot or the desk?" said Nikola as soon as they were alone.

"What?" Helen raised an eyebrow at him in confusion.

"I assume we're picking up where we left off before the interruption. I believe I was about to make sweet love to you in the sand," he grinned cheekily.

"I don't recall it going that far…if I remember correctly you were playing dirty," she moved past him to one of the cots, sitting on it and testing it's comfort ability; unfortunately Nikola's arms outweighed the cot's in that respect but she wasn't about to say that out loud.

"And you were playing right back," he sneaked himself beside her, his arms around her waist in an instant, toppling her over in to the thin mattress of the cot.

"Yes, playing…we weren't taking anything seriously," she growled; he was incorrigible.

"I beg to differ," he shrugged, his grin getting wider as he snuggled closer. "Wasn't it you who wanted to cuddle in the first place?"

"Take it from you to take a simple gesture of comfort and turn it into prelude for sex," she teased.

"Everything is a prelude to sex, Helen," he grinned even more deviously.

Helen rolled her eyes, and pushed him off her. She got up and went over to the other cot to test it.

"I'm not preluding to anything tonight…not here…I'm embarrassed by your antics enough as it is," she sat down on the mattress, it wasn't much better than the first one, but by the way Nikola was lying on it she wasn't about to go back and claim that one.

"This cot will be just fine," she sighed.

"This one is warmer," Nikola offered enticingly, scooting over a smidgeon and patting the spot beside him. "I could hold you again."

"I don't trust that glint in your eye," Helen teased.

"It's only my natural prowess," he shrugged.

"Please, just go to sleep, I can't handle anymore of your dribble for tonight," she tossed the covers over her and blew out the lamp.

"I can see in the dark you know," he muttered.

"Then see the letters N-O tattooed on the tops of my eyelids," she growled.

She suddenly felt her cot bounce and another body hovering above her.

"I don't see anything," he teased, his nose just brushing her cheek as he pretended to be examining her eyelids.

"No! Go to bed!" she growled.

"But it's so lonely over there," he whined.

"Maybe Creedy will keep you company," Helen offered jokingly.

"I much rather have you," he snuggled closer.

"Do not make me shoot you, Nikola," she threatened.

"You don't have a gun," he grinned smugly.

He suddenly heard a small click and looked down, seeing a small one-shot pistol pressed into his abdomen.

"That's what you think," Helen smirked a little bit.

"Oh Helen, I would love to know where you were keeping that," he leered down at her, mischievously.

"Someplace you will never touch…again," Helen tossed him off her cot and heard him land on the ground with a loud thump.

He groaned wordlessly and whimpered.

"Helen…can't we pretend we're desperately in love fiancés again…that was fun wasn't it?"

Helen rolled her eyes.

"It wouldn't help our situation, they already know the whole fiancé thing was bogus," she sighed, rolling onto her side, trying to get comfortable.

She immediately felt him pressed up against her, his arms winding around her.

"What do they know? We could be twin nuclei for all they care…come on, let's keep the camp up all night," she felt his hands wander slightly.

"What has come over you, Nikola? You haven't been this randy since Cairo, why all the sudden?"

"Must be the heat," he shrugged, pressing a small kiss to the back of her neck.

"Nikola, I'm serious, this is neither the time nor the place," she turned and pushed him away again.

"It's been three years," he said with a small smile. "To the day."

Helen smiled back.

"And what? You want to celebrate?" she teased.

"In honor of the first night we spent in this sand ridden hell hole," he chuckled. "I was thinking we pretend to be fiancés and make out, steel a jeep and blow up one of the awful cots as a memento," he snickered.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Save it for our escape in case Carter turns out to be just as slimy as he is British," Helen pecked Nikola's cheek affectionately.

"Alright…but that does leave the making out," he grinned and Helen laughed.

"Will you get to your cot already!" she barked and he grumbled and got up. She heard the mattress squeak as he plunked his weight on top of it and then the ruffling of sheets as he made himself comfortable.

Helen exhaled silently, tucking her gun under her pillow in case he tried anything again. He was damn near impossible when he got randy; she'd nearly forgotten he could be till she had let him get ahead with his pestilent game. To be honest though, she had felt a bit randy herself at the time, a little playful as well, and the memory of his arms wrapped around her in a comfortable embrace, his lips just millimeters away from hers, the moon highlighting his sweat-slicked face. He smelt rugged, like sand, and a hard day's work. His arms, though wiry, were strong, he breathed gently, blowing smalls gusts of air onto the back of the neck. This was the Nikola she enjoyed being around; before he woke up and got ideas.

"You're thinking about me, I can smell it," he mumbled.

"Shut up," she growled.

He chuckled.

"You smell divinely aside from the lack of hygiene," she heard him turn over in his cot.

"You smell like an old sock," she mumbled, trying to ignore him.

"I love it when you think dirty thoughts," he continued.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" she rolled her eyes, he wasn't going to let her get much sleep tonight.

"I've known you long enough, and have slept in the same room as you long enough to know when you have thought dirty thoughts, the smell is quite distinct," she knew he was smirking.

"Well, I'm sorry for the inconvenience of your olfactory senses," she huffed.

"Well you should be, it drives me crazy, on a purely animalistic level, I love it and I can't do anything about it," he sighed like he was the victim.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"My God, is it vampire confession hour?" she groaned. "Go to sleep, have a dirty dream, I don't care, hump a pillow! Just leave me alone."

"If anyone is having dirty dreams it's you, and I'll be up all night wondering what you're dreaming about," he sighed.

"Fine, I'll think of dead fish, blood pudding and Edison and that'll knock you right out," she closed her eyes. "Is it working?"

"You're not trying hard enough, I can still smell you, you should really learn to control your bodily functions," he chuckled teasingly and Helen grabbed her pillow and tossed it at, what she assumed was his head.

He grunted as the pillow made contact.

"Hey!" he barked.

"Use it to suffocate yourself!" Helen grumbled and rolled over.

"It would've been easier for you to just let me cuddle you," he sighed matter-of-factly.

"Can we just get through this night without any cuddling, smells, or confessions? Can we do that? We'll talk about this when we get back to our camp, away from Carter and any wondering ears, I'm tired, tomorrow is going to be a long day, let's just get some sleep, will you allow me this one grace?" she pleaded.

"Fine…as long as I get to choose the first position, I'm thinking desk…" he said jokingly and Helen audibly groaned.

"You drive me crazy!" she threw the blanket over her head and forced her eyes shut, trying to occupy her thoughts with a medical procedure she learned in Switzerland involving removing half of the part of the brain the produced speech and dissolving the tissue in a vat of acid. All she would need is a scalpel, some chloroform, and a match and then she would never have to hear another word out of his obnoxious mouth ever again. She fell soundly asleep somewhere between cutting through the cranial membrane.

Nikola on the other hand lay wide awake, his eyes looking through the murky dark, one hand resting on his abdomen and one hand resting under his head. He shouldn't have been bugging Helen the way he did but he couldn't help it. She was so much fun when she was flustered, and he could mask his real desires in the guise of their game. She would only break his heart if he was sincere, and he truly did want her, he wanted to hold her, and the fact that she was willing to play his game, he couldn't help but wonder if a part of her wanted him to.

It was probably the heat, or the fact that they were the only other living bodies each other has seen in the last while. Whereas he sure it was love, she was sure it pure horniness. He could stoop low enough to satisfy her horny blood if that's what she needed, but he was scared of how she would react after it was done, so he stuck to teasing.

He looked over at her, she was dreaming, he could hear the way her breathing changed.

He sat up and moved carefully over to her. Would she wake up if he held her? He moved a stray hair from her face; she barely let out a sigh. Nikola smiled and sat on the edge of her cot.

He worked his way carefully into the tiny space beside her, draping his arm gently over her waist. She sighed and mumbled incoherently before relaxing into his embrace, her back pressing flushing against his chest. Nikola smiled softly, and kissed the back of her head before closing his eyes, he'd only stay here awhile, he'd be gone before she woke up, he just wanted to pretend for a few hours, he wanted to pretend this was real.

_**~~~~Morning~~~~**_

Helen awoke early, Nikola was already up and nowhere to be seen. His bed was neatly made and the bright sun of the morning shone through the opened flap of the tent he must've left open for her.

Helen rubbed her eyes and got up, squinting at the bright light.

She walked out into the camp. It was buzzing with life, all the workers moving this way and that like ants, carrying tools and ladders; she could hear jeeps in the distance.

"Good morning, Miss Magnus," the voice made her jump.

"Oh Creedy," Helen breathed a sigh of relief when the short cockney appeared behind her.

"Mr. Carter is waiting for you," he gestured for her to follow him.

"I'm sure he is, but do you know where my gentleman friend is?" Helen asked.

"He's with him already," Creedy nodded.

"Oh," Helen screwed her eyes together. "Really?"

Creedy nodded and began walking.

"You're not very talkative are you Creedy?" she smirked.

"Only when something needs to be said," he answered.

"You should give my friend lessons," she joked.

Creedy chuckled shortly.

They walked the rest of the way in relative silence.

As they approached the tent Helen heard the familiar sound of Nikola's laugh, joined in with what she assumed was Carter's laugh. Creedy stopped and gestured for her to continue. She nodded in thanks and kept approaching slowly. Nikola kept talking and she was curious about the story he was telling that was causing so much laughter.

"And so I was dangling off the clock tower, she's up there trying to find a rope to haul me back up, but then the clock ticks, she looses her footing, comes screaming down, I manage to catch her in time, and so we're both straddling the clock hands of Big Ben, waiting to be rescued!" Nikola burst into another fit of laughter.

"I remember my father talking about to drunk partiers up on Big Ben, the newspaper called it New Year's idiocy at it's finest," Carter chuckled.

"If they only knew the truth. But that's nothing. Helen and I were on the Titanic…now there was fun trip. Helen and I were this close to…"

"Ahem!" Helen interrupted sharply.

Nikola turned and grinned widely.

"Ah, speak of the devil, morning darling," he grinned and stood up to greet her, taking her hand and kissing it. "Carter and I were just talking about you."

"I heard," Helen glared at him sternly.

"Yes, your fiancé was just regaling me on some of your marvelous adventures," said Carter.

Helen's ears perked up at the word fiancé. He would, her fist clenched slightly.

"Oh, he was, was he?" Helen shot a sharp look at Nikola.

"Just some of the fun stories of our shared past," Nikola shrugged.

"All egregious over-exaggerations, I'm sure," Helen sat down, noting how Nikola sat comfortably beside her, looping an arm around the back of her chair.

"It's amazing how long we have known each other and only now are we getting married," Nikola smirked up at Helen. "I guess I finally won her heart."

Fine, if he wanted to play fiancés, she would play along. She leaned back against his arm, resting a hand on his knee.

Nikola looked down at the hand and back at her with a smirk. She smiled back, gritting her teeth to prevent herself from punching him. She turned back to Nikola.

"I see that the two of you are getting along," Helen smiled tersely.

"Javor and I kept each other company while we were waiting for you. I trust your sleep was well?" Carter smiled softly at her.

"As well as could be expected," Helen didn't chance a look over at Nikola but knew he was smirking.

"Of course," Carter nodded. "It's next to impossible to have all the comforts of the civilized world out in the desert, but we try."

"You certainly do," Helen smiled warmly.

Creedy arrived carrying the trays for their meals, setting it down in front of them.

"We decided to wait for you before we ate, I hope that's alright," said Carter.

Helen looked over at Nikola and forced another smile.

"Perfectly fine," Helen reached over to unfold her cutlery from its napkin, she took the knife and fork in her hands and pretended to bump her elbow against the table and drop them. "Oop! Oh my dear, how clumsy am I?"

"Let me get those for you darling," said Nikola.

"Oh no, I'm perfectly capable," she leaned down to get them before he could.

"Leave them, I'll get you a clean set," Carter moved to get up.

"Oh no! It's no issue," Helen refused politely, grabbing the knife. "I'm sure with a good cleaning they'll be just fine…oh they seemed to have bounced."

She grabbed the knife that was just beside her chair and stabbed it into Nikola's thigh. He held back his squeak of pain very well.

Helen grabbed the fork and sat up.

"Well, the knife disappeared, but I did manage to find the fork," she sat back in her chair and met Nikola's pained glare with a smile.

"Oh, I think I found the knife," he yanked the knife out of his thigh with enough finesse that it was barely noticeable that he had any sharp implement jammed into his body. He wiped it off on his napkin and handed it to her. "You might want to get a clean one…wouldn't want to catch anything my dear."

Carter looked at the strangely.

"I'll be right back," he smirked slightly and left.

Once they were alone she slapped Nikola across the back of his head.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she growled lowly. "Telling him we're fiancés!"

"It's all fun and games Helen, it's not like I asked him to be my best man or anything," Nikola joked.

"You are so unbelievably…and what is it? You're telling him about all our adventures? Why not tell him about the Actress, hmm, he'd get a kick out of that, or how's about the story of how you were the one who drove Jack the Ripper to kill, I'm sure he'd love that story!"

"Helen…"

"Are you two chums now? Is that it? Why not tell him how we did it at the World's Fair, and how that sparked our undying love for each other, or whatever bullshit you decide to spew forth from that!"

"Helen, I didn't tell him anything specific, didn't even mention the source blood, I just mentioned a few stories, to gage his reaction as James would say, I may not be Sherlock himself, but I can read people to a certain degree. He was telling stories as well, just humorous little stories. No talk about monsters or experiments, or about my real identity, give me some credit Helen," Nikola sighed.

"Fine, but I still can't believe you told him we were fiancés," she growled.

"Aww, Helen, we haven't been fiancés in years, I thought it'd be fun, and it's better than having to explain why a man and a woman who are not betrothed are running around in the desert together," he sighed.

"True, but I'm not kissing you," she pointed her finger at him threateningly.

"Fine, then I'll do all the kissing," he kissed her fingertip with a cheeky grin.

Helen rolled her eyes just in time to have Carter comeback.

"Here you are," He handed her the clean cutlery.

"Thank you, you didn't have to go through all this trouble just for us, we'd have been content with just having the food be warm," Helen smiled appreciatively.

"Nonsense, you're my guests," Carter waved her off.

"I'd be much more impressed with seeing her operations," Helen said pointedly.

"All to come, Miss Magnus, eat up and then my camp will become an open book to you," Carter said sincerely before beginning to eat his breakfast.

Helen nodded and looked at Nikola for a brief second, he shrugged back nodded his head towards the food. He took a bite of his meal and then shrugged as a signal that it didn't taste poisoned.

Helen took that as assurance enough.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

The day went by fast as Howard Carter lived up to his promise to show Helen and Nikola every facet of his camp, from the minor geography operations, to the security, even to what kind of batteries he used to power the high-powered lamps during night excavations.

Helen was impressed in how openly he answered her questions. Nikola was unimpressed with the lack of AC equipment. If Helen decided to trust Carter and join forces the first thing that would have to change is their equipment, which Nikola would be willing to oblige.

Carter also introduced them to several men in his charge with special abilities, Helen was even more impressed as the men totaled to more than half. Carter encouraged the use of Abnormals and humans in harmony and those workers who didn't agree were quickly let go of.

Helen could picture Carter as a man her father would associate himself with.

The day faded to evening and the threesome enjoyed the cooling air of the evening outside his tent. Watching as the torches for the camp were being lit.

Carter was thoroughly kicking Nikola's butt in a game of Chess, and Nikola was becoming more and more vocal in his frustrations, causing Helen to laugh with her glass of wine. It seemed both men were connoisseurs of good red wine.

"Oh bugger!" Nikola grumbled.

Helen laughed again, taking a sip from her glass.

"Just give in already Javor, you're doomed," Helen chuckled.

"It's not over till he says checkmate…oh damn!" Nikola grumbled and moved his pawn.

"The lady may be right, Mr. Dragoslav," shrugged Carter.

"I'm usually so good at this," Nikola grumbled.

"I've had more practice," Carter chuckled.

"I just haven't seen a chessboard in years, I'm rusty," sighed Nikola.

"Checkmate," Carter leaned back in his chair triumphantly.

"Aww hell," Nikola grumbled, leaning back, snatching his wine glass and drinking a generous amount.

"Another round?" offered Carter.

"Give me a moment for my pride to heal itself," Nikola sighed.

Helen laughed and went over to Nikola and draped an arm around his shoulder, leaning down and pecking his cheek.

"I'll play in his place," she smiled at Carter.

"I'd be honored," Carter sat up and Nikola switched chairs with Helen.

"Good luck," Nikola scoffed.

"Just to let you know…I play to win," Helen smirked.

Nikola huffed and plopped himself into the empty chair, watching them set up the game disdainfully.

"I always wondered what it would be like to play the child of Gregory Magnus," Carter grinned.

"Watch it, she cheats," Nikola warned.

Carter laughed.

"I do not, he just says that because he's a poor loser," Helen scoffed. Nikola grumbled sourly but didn't say anything more.

"I don't doubt it," Carter laughed again and made his first move.

"My father taught me to play when I was five, we've played ever since, I've had plenty of practice, unlike Javor," Helen grinned.

"I will admit, I've never been able to beat your father in a game, but I'm willing to bet I could give you a run for your money," Carter smirked.

Helen moved.

"Check," Helen smirked.

"Told ya, she cheats," Nikola drank more of his wine.

"I'm starting to believe him you know," Carter chuckled.

Carter moved. Helen moved. Carter moved. Nikola drank. Helen moved again.

"Check," she stated.

"Damn," Carter muttered.

"I failed to mention that I have beaten my father in a game, several times in fact," Helen sat back confidently.

"See, she cheats!" Nikola accused.

Carter moved.

"Checkmate," Helen claimed.

"Oh, now it's my turn to turn tail and lick my wounds," Carter groaned.

"Never play a Magnus, it only ends in heartbreak my friend," Nikola sighed.

Helen glared at him.

She couldn't help but hear a double meaning in that statement.

"You are a lucky man for being able to tame this beast enough to claim her hand," Carter teased.

"Oh, I didn't tame her, I merely gave her no choice but to," Nikola smirked and Helen rolled her eyes.

"Pretty much wouldn't leave me alone until I gave him the answer he wanted, it was much more troublesome not to believe me," Helen teased as well.

"You two go very well together I must say, your friendship is very evident," Carter drank some of his wine. "You can tell with people who've known each for a long time, there's a certain energy about it, and you two have known each other a long time."

"Some would say too long," Helen shot a teasing glace towards Nikola.

"Some would say not long at all, depends on how you look at it," Nikola looked back at her.

"It's always nice to know you won't have to go through life alone, that you'll always have somebody in the same boat, it's when of life's common decencies, we're never truly alone," Carter sighed. "You just can't let chances go by, I was like that with my wife, I saw who I wanted to be with for the rest of my years, and I told her so. Every day we're apart it's like I'm missing something important, that's apart of me, and when I go home the puzzle piece fits snuggly back together. Unfortunately, my two great loves are my wife and my mistress: Egypt."

Nikola suddenly became engrossed in his wineglass, going shockingly silent and Helen watched him for a moment. She could never understand this side of Nikola, the oddly contemplative Nikola, he popped up on rare occasions, always averting her gaze.

"This wine is going straight through me, excuse me," chirped Carter.

"Yes, of course," Helen nodded.

Carter placed his wine down and swiftly left the room to relieve himself.

The moment he was gone Nikola was beside her.

"Helen," he said hurriedly.

Helen was a little startled by how close he was but quickly adjusted her position to put distance between them, he immediately countered her actions keeping himself tantalizingly close.

"Nikola…"

"Helen, I…" he sputtered.

"Nikola," Helen sighed.

"No, Helen, please, just…let me…I've been thinking…and…"

A loud bang startled the pair, and shouting sounded on the far side of the camp.

Helen and Nikola's attention was diverted from each other towards the cries.

Gunshots echoed in the night air and the sounds of automobiles followed.

Carter came running back with his shotgun.

"Bloody Horace!" he growled. "He will not be making a mess of my camp!"

Carter ran past them towards the sounds of gunfire.

Helen looked back at Nikola and he looked back at her.

They silently agreed to do something about the sudden and violent intrusion by the Horacians.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Carter marched up directly to the approaching automobiles.

Creedy was beside him with his own rifle, along with several other armed members of Carter's team.

The head automobile stopped a few feet from the, the other two cars stopping behind it. Horace stepped out, smoking a thick cigar.

"Evening Carter, mind if we join the party," Horace grinned.

"Get out of my camp, Horace, you were not invited," growled Carter.

"I beg to differ," Horace shrugged.

Carter heard a click beside him and saw Creedy pointing his rifle at him.

"Creedy? You?" Carter felt the sting of betrayal. "Why?"

"Better pay, sorry Howie, but I'm not the philanthropic type, a museum isn't good enough for me, not after all these years," Creedy shrugged. "You're a good man, Carter, and a good boss, but I've got a sick child and another three to feed, I've got to choose my priorities."

"He's right, give us the woman and we'll leave," Horace grinned. "Magnus, give us Lady Magnus, and you're camp won't suffer for it."

"Never," Carter said firmly.

"Then you leave me no choice, Carter. Search the camp! Separate them into groups, bring me all women you find, if there are none, we start killing them faction by faction until she makes her presence known."

Creedy kept his gun fixed on Carter.

"As for you Carter, makes yourself comfortable, you're going to watch," Horace grinned cruelly.

"Sir! Sir!" Two men came from the behind Horace. "Look who we found lurking around the cars."

They tugged a struggling Helen over.

"Ah, excellent, you're lucky Carter, I won't have to kill all your men now," Horace grinned.

"Nice to see you again, my dear," Horace went over to her, moving a stray lock of hair from her face. "As beautiful as ever, Dr. Magnus."

"Go to hell," she spat.

"And still as tough as nails, well, we'll change all that, put her in the car," ordered Horace.

"No!" Carter jumped forward but Creedy's gun cocked.

"Not so fast," Creedy warned.

"It's alright, Howard, I'll be fine," she looked at him carefully and winked.

Carter relaxed slightly, his eye moving to where hers was indicating.

She saw what looked like a large iguana slithering in the sand, several in fact. Ah, Javor, if he wasn't mistaken.

Horace and his men moved to tug Helen back into the automobiles when an explosion shot of only feet away from where they were standing. Causing the men to fall to the ground to protect themselves. Before they could get their bearing another explosion burst on the other side of them and six or seven men led by Nikola popped out from under sand colored tarp, right behind the dazed men of the Horacians.

They pulled out long machetes and guns and had several men lying dead in the sand in under 5 minutes.

Horace growled.

"Move! Move!"

The distraction was good enough for Carter to turn on Creedy and pry the weapon out of his grip; he used the butt of the rifle to smoke Creedy in the head and he fell to the ground unconscious.

The rest or Carters team took the hint and began to attack the Horacians, using everything from shovels to fists, to spoons and bowls as a weapon.

Horac and his two men still held on to Helen, fighting there way through to get to the automobiles and shove Helen inside.

Everyone was so busy fighting one another that no one noticed the large men and his goons sneak off.

The last Horacian man fell unconscious and the workers cheered triumphantly.

Nikola rushed over to Carter.

"Where's Helen?" he asked frantically.

"I don't know…did she not escape?" asked Carter.

The sound of a car's engine grasped their attention.

They looked just in time to see Helen in the back window banging on the glass.

"NO!" Nikola cried, running into full speed behind the car, but it was too far ahead for him to catch up when the entire car exploded.

Nikola slowed down and fell to his knees in the sand. Helen…

Carter came running up behind him.

Nikola felt his whole world shatter around him, his whole world had been in that car, and now she was gone.

Carter breathed heavily but placed a hand on Nikola's shoulder.

"Javor…I'm so sorry…"

Nikola shot a look of anger back at him.

"She wasn't supposed to be in the car, she wasn't supposed to…" Nikola's voice hitched, he couldn't say the words, not here. "I have to go."

"Javor, stay…you're amongst friends…"

"No, I am not!" Nikola barked, tears threatening to burst out and drown him in grief. "My life was in that car! I have no friends…you're friends is what put her in that car! If it wasn't for you, we could've kept staying one step ahead of the Horacians and she would be here right now!"

Nikola's heart was threatening to shatter right in front of this man he had just met and his pride was too strong to do that. He needed to go back home…to their home in the desert and piece himself back together there.

He turned and began walking.

Carter watched him leave with a heavy sigh.

It took Nikola several hours to reach the camp. The stew he had been cooking was now a charred mass over a dead fire; he kicked it over anyway.

He walked into their tent. Her bedroll was unmade, just like she had left it, and Nikola remembered holding her not less than a few hours ago, in this very spot, his arms woven around her in a gentle embrace, her, sleeping against his chest. It pained him to think he would never hold her that way again.

He looked at her collection of things in the tent.

This had been their home for the past three years. Their home…now it was nobody's.

Nikola found it hard to breathe.

He would've spent eternity with her in this blasted desert if that would've made her happy, and now that she was gone he would wander the desert, a shell of a man.

He clenched his fists, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears that threatened to break like a dam.

Suddenly he heard a noise from the front of the tent and his head snapped forward, ready to kill whatever it was that chose to disturb his grieving but instead was met with two blue eyes.

Nikola's heart caught in his throat.

He hadn't the words to say anything, his mouth just flapped wordlessly, his eyes blinking to keep his vision clear.

"You…left without me," she said, her voice exhilarated. She had a small wound at the side of her head above temple that was bleeding slightly, and a small wound on her thigh, but other than that she was alive and relatively untouched.

"Helen?" Nikola's voice came out barely a whisper.

Helen smirked.

"That…that was…a close one," she breathed heavily, as if she had ran all the way there.

Nikola stepped towards her.

He didn't care how she took it, she was alive; his whole body was screaming to make sure it wasn't a hallucination.

Their lips collided fiercely as he wrapped his arms around her, feeling her, real and breathing under his touch.

He pulled back, gasping, still trying not to cry with joy.

"How did you…"

"Jumped…right before the explosion…I'm sorry…I must've…terrified you," Helen found it hard to breathe, she had never seen Nikola this way.

Nikola shook his head.

"You're alive, my god, Helen," he kissed her again, just as passionately. Helen's hand went up into his sandy hair; she felt such a tender love in this kiss, it was unlike anything she'd ever experienced and she embraced it; she embraced him.

They were both soon lost in the kiss and the love and the exhilaration flying between one another.

By the time Helen came to, she was lying naked in Nikola's arms, both his arms wrapped around her body with him sleeping soundly beside her. It was early morning, the sun was just coming up and she watched him sleep. He was beautiful, his hair all mussed, his heart beating against her cheek, serene and content.

She had no idea what had come over him last night. Was it the fear, the joy, the loss, the heat?

They shouldn't have done it, but something came over them.

Helen lifted a hand to her head and she felt the crusted blood there, she should probably tend to that. Last night had gone away in such a blur that she could barely remember it all. All she remembered is that it was the most intense and intimate moment she had ever shared with Nikola. More than their time at the Fair, or when they were together those few brief times, even more so than on the Titanic. She felt an all-encompassing passion with him last night.

Nikola stirred slightly and mumbled something incoherently.

Helen smiled.

There was more to her vampire than she realized.

A sudden, haunting realization dawned on her. What did this mean for them now?

Would they continue to play fiancés and traipse around in the desert? Would they have to sit down and put a name to it or…or depart…or blame it on the heat.

Yeah, must be the heat.

Helen sat up moved over to where her canteen was lying. She grabbed a cloth and wetted it with the water from the canteen. She used Nikola's shaving mirror to wash the blood off her head. Not caring about her state of dress for the moment.

Nikola's eyes lazy shot open. The first sight his dazed eyes fell upon was a gorgeous naked goddess sitting on the counter of his shaving sink, with a wet rag, her legs spread just enough to give him a rather enticing view and his heart picked up a quick pace. He watched her silently for a moment, not wanting to ruin the moment by alerting her to his presence. She was beautiful.

Helen's eyes darted over and their eyes met. Instead of shock and disgust, she met him with a dazzling and soft smile. It nearly had his heart bursting out of his chest.

"Good morning," he croaked.

"Good morning," she said softly in return.

"You look…"

"Beaten and battered," she laughed.

"No…divine," he grinned sincerely.

"Please, I'm a mess," she shook her head.

Nikola sat up.

"I have never seen anything more beautiful," he stated firmly.

"Definitely seen something cleaner," she teased.

Nikola grabbed his undergarments quickly then stood up, going over to her.

"Helen…"

"About last night," Helen interjected.

Nikola deflated.

"Yes?" he asked hesitantly.

"It was…nice…it really was…it was amazing actually…I don't know what came over us…must be the…"

"Heat?" he finished for her with a grin.

"Yes, the heat," Helen smirked.

"Yeah," he looked down shyly. "Not bad for heat stroke though."

Helen laughed.

"Not bad at all," she leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Just…thank you," she sighed. She moved to go and find a fresh change of clothes but Nikola grasped her hand.

"Helen…about last night…I don't want you to think it was…"

"No, of course not…"

"Because I didn't mean it…"

"No, it's fine…"

"And I'd like to…"

"Yes?"

"I mean if you want...I mean, I'd like to…"

"Yes…"

"Would you want to…"

"Keep playing fiancés?" Helen smirked.

"Yah…"

"Well, we kind of have to, you did tell Carter we were after all…"

"So…"

"So, I guess we'll have to live up to the characters we play…on occasion…if we're going to work with Carter that is, I mean I do think he more than proved himself last night," Helen sighed matter-of-factly.

"Yah," Nikola shrugged.

"I wouldn't be opposed to…on occasion…playing fiancé at night," she said sheepishly and Nikola grinned. "Not all the time, but if the mood is right…and the heat gets to us again…I would not be opposed."

Nikola grinned even wider.

"Neither would I."

"Then I guess we have an…arrangement of sorts…now, go make us some breakfast while I dress, go on!" she pushed him out of the tent.

"Can I at least have some pants?" he called to her from outside of the tent. A moment later a pair of his trousers came flying out, walloping him in the face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" she called back to him.

Nikola pulled the trousers off his face and quickly hauled them on his body before heading to the fire pit and adding some wood logs and kindling and using a spark from his fingertips to ignite it.

He looked back at the tent and grinned widely.

He had a feeling he was going to enjoy the rest of his time in Egypt immensely.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Hello my awesome fandom readers! Sorry for the wait, but guess what? School is finally finished! More time for writing! Whoopie...though my career seems to be picking up so I'm still a bit on the busy side, but i'll find time to write you yummy teslen stories.

Speaking of yummy teslen...i think this chappie will satisfy your appetites. It's got some action, adventure, banter, a little tragedy, and some really yummy moments that would satisfy a bear into hibernation!

I think i have one more story for egypt and then it's on to the home stretch for The Troublemakers...excited...i've got some fun storyline coming up ahead

For readers who enjoy the Life Long Series, the latest installment Moment Long Misery might be getting pulled, for reasons, i just don't like it...i want to pull it, rework it, and give you a better ending to the series then what i could with that dribble. I know you guys like it, but I don't like where it is going, it's not the direction I want to take for that series, i have a new idea, one that i think you'll enjoy more than MLM, so FYI, if in the next few weeks that story goes missing, that's why.

Other than that, i'm hoping you all are having a wonderful April, soon to be May. I certainly am. It's been an amazing week...and the weekend is going to be even better.

Seeing Amanda Tapping on Saturday at the Comic Expo...so excited!


	47. The Happiest We'll Be (5)

**Chapter 47 – The Happiest We'll Be (5)**

_**~~~~November, 1922~~~~**_

It was now their fifth year of being in the wild deserts of Egypt.

They joined Carter two years ago, working alongside him to uncover whatever Helen's father had sent them down here for.

The camp migrated almost every two months to a new section of the desert. Things had become much easier since the dissipation of the Horacians, caused by them blowing up their leader's car while he was still inside it. Cutting off the head had cut off the brains of the operation and soon they had fallen to a separated faction here and there with no real mission to carry out.

So far they hadn't caused any more trouble, leaving Carter's camp to have full reign over the Valley of Kings. It was nice not to have to look over their shoulders every two minutes.

This time the camp rooted itself near an oasis, large enough for the camp to clean themselves and refresh their water supplies. Helen and Nikola opted to place their own tent closer to the water so Nikola could maintain his swimming regime. Nikola had never been happier, and not just because he was clean.

Nikola looked over his shoulder to Helen at the other end of the small pool they had pretty much claimed as theirs from day one. It was a smaller separate body of water from the larger one used by everyone. No one disturbed them in this shady lagoon, it was completely sheltered by long grass, and the water was only about waist deep, but it was private, which Helen, being the only woman for miles, found very nice.

Nikola watched her pin her hair up into a bun to keep it dry. Her garments hung from a low branch of the exotic tree that thrived next to the pond. All she wore was her undergarments, as she usually did when she bathed because it would keep her cool for the rest of the day.

She tensed slightly, and he turned away, just in time for her to look back at him. He snickered to himself, removing his undershirt and folding it and placing it carefully on the bank next to his trousers and shoes.

Helen turned back and continued with her routine.

Nikola scooped some water into his hands and splashed it across his face. It wasn't cold water, but it was cool enough to be pleasant and refreshing.

He heard Helen tread water and his eyes sneaked back around to watch her. She had let her hair down, after all the time she had taken to pin it up and she removed the garments on her upper torso, revealing her perfect back to his voyeuristic gaze.

The sun shone against the droplets of water on her back and he watched them enviously, wishing he could touch her the way the water droplets caressed and slid down her brilliantly white shoulders.

She draped her wet garments on the branch and then ducked her head under the water for a brief second before re-emerging, her wet, blonde hair flowing back to hug the back of her neck.

Nikola was entranced, watching her hungrily, his eyes feasting on the show she was giving him. His mouth hung open slightly, his body tensed and a shiver went up his spine tingling out to his fingers.

By the time he recovered his eyes met two blue eyes, staring at him unimpressed.

Helen wore a smirk, knowing her trap had caught him red-handed in the act of watching her bathe.

"I thought we'd agreed we'd stick to our corners," her long hair came down strategically to cover the parts he wished he could see.

Nikola smirked sheepishly.

"I'm still in my corner," he chuckled, choosing not to deny the fact that he'd been spying.

"Yes but for how long?" Helen teased.

"Depends," he shrugged. "If you take off any more I won't be responsible for my actions."

Helen laughed.

"You really think I was doing that for you?" Helen scoffed.

"Yes. You spent twenty minutes pinning your hair up, only to let it down in a second, because you suspected I was watching, and you knew exactly what to do to keep me watching," he grinned, but not moving a step towards her.

"I changed my mind halfway, that's all," Helen's resolve cracked and Nikola smirked.

"You never bathe fully in the nude, Helen, because you always suspected me of watching, plus having wet undergarments underneath your dry clothes keeps you cooler longer, I've been sneaking looks a lot longer than you think," he winked cheekily.

"Maybe I knew?" Helen crossed her arms, obstructing more of his view of her.

"Maybe you liked it?" Nikola added, crossing his arms as well.

"Maybe I still do," Helen smirked challengingly.

Nikola dropped his arms, not quite believing his ears.

"Helen, was that an open invitation?" Nikola felt another shiver run through him.

"Well, you are my fiancé…as it were," she grinned. "They all suspect that's what we do in our little blue lagoon."

Nikola's grin grew wider.

Before he could come up with a retaliation Helen ducked under the water.

Nikola was stumped for a second trying to find her form under the water, but before he could place her she emerged right in front of him, like a mermaid, a water goddess, a siren, her wet lips meeting his gently. It was enough to freeze his brain for a couple of seconds before he began kissing back.

His hands grasped Helen's arms gently. His wet hands sliding up her slick skin.

Her hands came up and slicked his slightly damp hair back.

He broke the kiss to inhale a sharp burst of air.

His nostrils and lungs burned slightly and he fought the emotions of excitement and exhilaration.

"I love being your fake fiancé," Nikola grinned before kissing her again, slowly pushing her to the edge of the bank. She fell against the semi-grassy knoll, her back falling partially into the warm sand.

She gasped slightly, her lips disconnecting from his.

Nikola took no time in descending to her neck. Her hips and lower half still waded in the water. Nikola kept going farther down.

"Nikola…what are you thinking?" Helen gasped.

He was at her abdomen, nearly his whole body submerged.

"I was just thinking…how long could I…last…under water," his eyes darting to the brilliant blue-green water.

"Why don't you go down there and find out," Helen challenged, her elbows bracing her against the sandy bank.

Nikola looked up at her and smirked, before continuing his path from her abdomen, his head slowly sliding into the water.

A few moments later, Helen's head lolled back and she silently let out a deeply satisfied sigh, letting the sun warm her face, as her whole body was enveloped by heat.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Carter checked his pocket watch for the third time. He didn't know if it was correct any more, he'd been in the desert that long, but he knew for certain that his two partners were running late. It wasn't the first time; he always found that when they went off to the oasis in the morning they'd usually be a few minutes behind schedule. Perhaps for several reasons, he tried not to wonder too long about they did in their little sheltered cove, though most of his men suspected what two fiancés did together in a sheltered bathing area.

Did it have to be this morning of all mornings?

He grumbled.

Carter had a schedule he wished to maintain involving their latest excursion. They were getting closer, he was positive, that and his financial backer, Lord Carnarvon was due to arrive any moment.

Carter had hoped to introduce Carnarvon to his new associates. They'd been working in conjunction nearly two years, but only recently had Helen and Javor joined his camp to work side by side, the year before that had more been a sharing of information than working together in the fullest sense. During Carnarvon's visit last winter, Helen and Javor had journeyed to another part of the desert entirely to do more research. Carnarvon had heard many stories of this wondrous pair of scientists, but had never met them face-to-face. To say he was expecting the Jesus and Mary Magdalene of archeologists was an understatement, and they were currently snogging in the blue lagoon.

Carter grumbled again, he didn't need Carnarvon cutting down more of his financial support because of this.

As if hearing his inner complaints, Helen and Nikola arrived, fully dressed, looking respectable and professional as always. Nikola was clean-shaven, aside from the thin line of a mustache he was sporting; it was as much as Helen would allow him. Helen wore her wide brimmed fedora and high trousers and boots, looking more ready to work than for a tea party. Her hair was tied up in a tasteful knot under her hat, quickly drying under the blazing sun. Nikola's hair was slicked back as always, and he wore his white high collared shirt with a dark brown vest that matched his trousers.

Carter breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're late," he tucked his pocket watch back into his vest pocket.

"For what?" Nikola looked at Carter, his hands resting on his hips.

"For Lord Carnarvon's arrival, he's due any moment now," grumbled Carter.

"Who?" Nikola screwed his face up.

"The financial backer of this entire operation…I told you this last night, Javor," Helen rolled her eyes.

"Really? I must've not been paying attention," Nikola shrugged.

Carter glared at them, suspecting he could guess what they were up to during when this conversation took place.

Helen looked away sheepishly.

"I did mention it…at dinner," she added.

"Oh right…that was today?" Nikola looked at her, she nodded her head. "Well, we're not too late are we?" Nikola looked back to Carter.

He shook his head.

"Fortunately, no," he sighed.

Nikola smiled obliviously.

"Good, would hate to be late for something like that," Nikola smirked at Helen and she smirked slightly back.

On some level she believed he got some sort of kick out of driving Carter crazy.

The sound of an engine approaching snapped the threesome out of their discussion.

"He's here," sighed Carter.

"Oh goody," Nikola bubbled, moving to stand directly beside Helen.

"Best behavior, my love," Helen smirked.

"Always," Nikola smirked back at her, offering her his arm to loop with hers. Helen took it gratefully.

They've had two years of playing this game of being fiancés, they were getting good at it, so good, Helen sometimes forgot that this man wasn't actually her betrothed. She had a feeling he had trouble remembering that was well.

They were starting to take more liberties with each other. Like what happened this morning in the pool, three years ago Helen would've thrown her clothes on and left if she had caught Nikola peeping on her, but today, she found him watching rather…intriguing. Before she knew it she was taking more clothes off, letting her hair down, making herself as irresistible to his hungry eyes as she possibly could and when she turned and saw her ruse had worked, she saw his eyes, yearning for her earnestly. She liked that look in his eyes.

But it wasn't just that, she couldn't count how many times she had woken up in the past few months with Nikola's arms around her, and it wasn't just because of the previous night's activities. Sometimes she woke prematurely when they hadn't done anything the night before and had found him lying next to her, she would close her eyes either go back to sleep or pretend to sleep until he woke up and untangled himself away from her and sneak into his own cot as if it never happened. He did it more often than not, and when he didn't Helen could feel it, it felt like something was missing.

She also allowed small little kisses, a kiss to the cheek as he left the room, a peck on the hand when she joined him for an evening drink, a kiss to the lips when she left his side for more than a moment. Normal displays of affection for two lovers or fiancés, but they weren't fiancés.

And there was the way he'd drape his arm behind her when they sat together for meals or at evening get-togethers, and how she would snuggle into it, right up to the crook of his arm and place her hand on his knee, or he'd grasp her fingers gently with his free hand and hold them until they found something else to do.

Helen especially enjoyed the way he would massage her shoulders after the end of a long day, sometimes dropping kisses to the back of her neck.

Helen looked up at Nikola.

She hadn't seen him this happy since the early Oxford days.

The oddest thing about this was how ok she was about it. On some level she should feel weirded out, or uncomfortable, but it barely phased her, in fact, she kind of enjoyed it…a lot.

She was beginning to picture some kind of strange future of the two of them, spending their entire life together in Egypt, in a little cottage by the oasis, so that Nikola could keep up with his 27 laps every morning. Sometimes there are kids, sometimes it's just the two of them.

Helen looked down at the sand.

Would it stay the same after they found the tomb? Or would reality catch up with them?

Before she could think anymore on the subject, Lord Carnarvon's car stopped before them.

He stepped out, shielding his eyes from the blinding sun.

"George!" Carter greeted warmly.

"Howard," Carnarvon shook the man's hand with a gentle smile.

"Welcome back," smiled Carter.

"Well you know, winter in London, no good for my health," Carnarvon patted his chest. "I love the warm climate…and the discoveries."

"Well put, old friend," Carter led him over to Helen and Nikola. "I'd like you to meet my new associates, helping with the dig."

"Oh yes, the miracle duo I've heard so much about," Carnarvon immediately shot his hand out to Helen who took it graciously.

"May I introduce, Dr. Helen Magnus and her fiancé Javor Dragoslav," Carter introduced formally.

"You wouldn't be related to the belated Gregory Magnus would you?" asked Carnarvon.

"Yes, he was my father," Helen nodded. "Did you know him?"

"Only by reputation," Carnarvon shook her hand. "You have a reputation all your own Ms. Magnus…though I'd have thought you to be older."

"I'm sure my father talked about me when I was younger, always telling stories, a lot of people thought I was older, he makes me sound that way," Helen sighed dismissively.

"Ah," Carnarvon nodded then turned to Nikola. "You on the other hand have nothing to precede you Mr. Drago…?"

"Dragoslav…and I'm just the nameless protector of the beautiful lady, I have no reputation of which to speak of," Nikola peered over to Helen.

"He kids, Lord Carnarvon, he's been my loyal associate for years, he just teases because I get all the credit," Helen teased.

"Hence why I asked you to marry me…then I get credit for something," Nikola teased back.

Carnarvon laughed.

"Ah, young love, I recognize it's face," he turned to Carter. "Remember when we were that young and doe-eyed Howard."

"Hardly," scoffed Carter. "These two are like a bickering old couple most days."

"Excellent," laughed Carnarvon. "Now, Howard, I've been traveling less than two hours in this desert and I'm already parched, please tell me you have something to wet my whistle before we get to work."

"Right this way," Carter led the way to his tent.

Helen and Nikola stayed back and grinned at each other.

"I think he likes us," Nikola smirked.

"You maybe…I don't think he quite buys my story," Helen bit her lip nervously.

"Maybe it's about time you got a pseudo-name…I'm sure Javor wouldn't mind changing his name to suit his fiancé," Nikola smirked and Helen rolled her eyes.

"By the time I do that, Javor Dragoslav will be long gone, and you will be back in New York with your pigeons," sighed Helen without really thinking.

Nikola's smile dropped at her words.

"Oh," he looked down.

"Once we find the tomb we can go back to our old lives," Helen continued.

"Fun," Nikola muttered.

"Running water, hot food, a real bed," Helen closed her eyes, she could just feel the feather downy and silk sheets.

"Debt," Nikola tagged at the end.

"The theatre, the opera, rain…"

"An empty hotel room."

Helen faltered and turned to him.

"Nikola?" she fixed him with a confused gaze. "Are you actually saying you prefer living in this desert? After all the complaining you made!"

"I don't love the desert…it's not my homestead of choice, but being here…with you…it's like the old days you know…I'm starting to realize that I was very alone back in New York…I'll miss the company is all," Nikola shrugged.

"Oh, of course," Helen felt a little disheartened at his answer, and she didn't quite understand why. It was a reasonable answer, it would be hard for the both of them to return to normal life after growing so close the last few years. He'd been the only person in her life for the past five, and she would miss him on occasion, especially after recent events.

Nikola began walking, following the trail that Carter and Carnarvon left.

He'd gone silent and that left Helen feeling very wary.

He only went silent when he was thinking about something serious.

Helen watched him walk away.

He was so odd sometimes.

Nikola rarely talked so honestly, he usually masked his feelings with banter and flirty remarks, Helen wondered if he was growing fond of this life in the desert.

She shook her head. Once the tomb was found they'd both be able to move on with their lives.

She began following him to join Carter and Carnarvon and Nikola in Carter's tent.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

The day went by uneventfully. After laying out the schedule to Carnarvon, and showing him the three main dig sites, and explaining what led them to there, they all separated into their different duties. Helen and Nikola were knee deep in the pits, working in conjunction as always. Nikola said nothing much except for words pertaining to work, which he passed off for being focused.

It had Helen in rut all day, she was not used to Nikola being this way, so when she walked into their tent at the end of the day and he was over his sink shaving, since he hadn't enough time this morning, she was determined to snap him out of it.

He was stripped down to his trousers and undershirt. Helen enjoyed watching his toned muscles flex and contract as he ran the blade down his chin.

Even a vampire wasn't resistant to a five o'clock shadow.

Helen blushed as she realized she was checking out his rump as he leaned close to his mirror to check he hadn't missed a spot.

She leaned against her own vanity and continued to watch him. His hair was getting a tad shaggy, she'd have to cut it again soon or he'd start complaining. When had she began thinking like a wife? Helen snickered to herself. Soon she wouldn't be able to let him leave the tent without making sure he looked absolutely handsome for going off to work; she'd always loathed that in married women, but after living with this one for five years she understood a bit of the principle now. Him leaving the house looking perfect reflected on your ability as his companion, it wasn't to serve him at all, it was so he stepped out looking dashing, and the wife turning to their neighbors and saying, "I did that."

Nikola was hardly her husband, but even as her fake fiancé, the principle still applied.

His eyes saw her looking at him from the mirror and she caught his gaze in the reflective surface.

His shoulders tensed and Helen smirked standing up fully, and grabbing her towel from where it was hanging.

He pretended to ignore her.

"I'm off to the lagoon," she said as casually as possible.

"Alright," he muttered in response, and kept shaving.

"It's been so hot, I find myself craving being in the water," Helen continued noting how he tensed all over again.

"It should be cool around this time," Nikola didn't turn to look at her.

"I know, it's going nice to go to sleep feeling cool…instead of being so hot and sweaty," she chose her words perfectly that she could practically hearing the blood pumping out of Nikola's heart. It could've been because her heart was beating just as loud.

She imagined their hearts were beating at the same time, so his heartbeat just melded to hers.

"Don't catch cold," he managed to choke out.

"Yah…then you'd have to take care of me," she teased. "You could always join me…make sure I don't stay in the water for too long."

Nikola turned around finally.

Helen met his eyes and his searched hers for something.

"Helen…?" he sputtered.

"If you need me I'll be at the lagoon," she emphasized the word need and left the tent, resisting the urge to turn around to see if his eyes followed her out.

She made it to the lagoon, she had found two torches and stuck them in the dirt on both sides of the lagoon to give it a bit of lighting, but not too much.

She began to take off her clothes, not bothering to wait for him, if he came he came, if not she would enjoy her bathe by herself. She folded her trousers and blouse in the sand by her boots and waded into the pool. She sat on the bank, pinning her hair up expertly to keep it off her neck, cupping her hands to sprinkle water over her over-heated body.

Helen really did enjoy the water at the end of a long work day. She could hear some of the workers in the larger pool splashing around not too far from there.

She chuckled, seems she wasn't the only one.

She got off the bank and waded into the waist deep centre of the pool, dunking herself in past her shoulders.

What would happen if he didn't come?

She bit her lip slightly. What would happen if he did? Would he give her the same attention he paid her that morning, or would it be more like that night when he was so close to losing her that when she came back he melted right into her arms. She smiled with the memory of both encounters.

The heat built up again, and she couldn't tell if it was water or sweat dripping down her body anymore.

She got so caught up in her ideas that she jumped when the sound of a twig snapping resounded in the lagoon.

She heard him curse and Helen grinned, turning to find him, at the edge of the bank, he'd been hiding behind one of the trees. He was trying to make his approach when he got ratted out by mother nature.

"Nikola," Helen smiled. She looked at him, he looked ragged and disturbed, she's been driving him crazy and it was beginning to show.

She turned to him completely and his breath hitched.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, knowing full well why he was here, he was doing very little to hide it.

His whole torso expanded as he breathed heavily.

She felt powerful knowing she could reduce him to this. She liked that she could affect him this much.

"Nikola?" she asked again when he didn't answer.

Without any regard to his shoes or his pants he stepped towards her into the water, taking slow and careful steps. Helen could feel the air pick up in electricity as he came closer, it sent a tingling sensation over her skin.

She liked how easily he could affect her this way. Their eyes locked.

"Nikola, your pants," she pointed out; they were going to get ruined in this water.

He smirked but she could see he didn't care about them in this moment.

Nikola reached her, his hands twitching to reach out and touch her but he left them at his sides.

"Nikola…" Helen felt her heart beating rapidly. The look in his eyes both hungry and yearning and it affected her straight to her gut.

Nikola gasped out a smile, almost bashful.

"You hesitate," Helen teased, subtly letting him know that she wasn't adverse to him being there, and for wanting what he wanted.

"I…need you," he forced himself to say.

Helen stepped that much closer, grasping his hand and placing it on her chest, enjoying how it shook slightly as his palm closed around her garmented breast.

"I'm glad," she admitted, leaning forward, his lips meeting hers for a brief and tender moment, before pulling back, seeing his eyes open wider ad his adam's apple bob.

Helen smiled and leant in to kiss him again, enjoying as he kissed back strongly, his other arm bringing her flush against him.

His desires fueled hers, and soon her hairs was let down in cascades, the pins abandoned into the water and his fingers taking their place. She brought her fingers over his freshly shaven face, enjoying the feel of the smooth skin of his jaw and cheeks before creeping into his hairline and dislodging his hair from it's neat formation into wild spikes.

"I love you," he muttered into her skin, but it was lost amongst her moans.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Carter and Lord Carnarvon sat out in the cool evening air under the canopy of the opened tent, enjoying a glass of brandy and laughing about all the years they'd spent in this desert.

Carnarvon saw he lights coming from the oasis and smirked.

"The boys out for a late swim, Howard?" he turned to Carter and Carter chuckled.

"The pool is mostly occupied," Carter eyed the one separate lagoon with it's own dim lighting. No surprise there.

"It must be strange for poor Helen, being the only woman within a mile's radius of this camp," Carnarvon sympathized.

"She handles it pretty well, she's been around men most of her life. What with her father and all…plus she has Javor with her, and he causes more trouble than all my men combined, so…"

Carnarvon chuckled.

"He seems like quite the character," Carnarvon relaxed further into his seat.

"Yes, but quick on his feet, he's saved this camp more than once, and he's done wonders to the cars, they haven't stalled in 6 months," shrugged Carter.

"I understand why you were so thrilled to have them join you, how'd you get them out here?" asked Carnarvon.

"They were already here, they're looking for something specific relating to the tomb…nothing by the way of jewels or fortune, more so to do with her father's work…so I joined forces with them, they get the small piece and we get the rest, a fair trade in my mind," said Carter.

"Of course, especially since they seem to know more about the tomb," joked Carnarvon.

"They have the advantage of having Gregory Magnus' daughter on their team, the man was a genius in his own right," sighed Carter.

"Yes, but I could've sworn she'd be…at least your age by now, maybe older," Carnarvon scratched his head.

"Oh yes…well, I talked with Gregory so many times I don't think I could pinpoint the times he mentioned his daughter."

"She must've been what? Twelve when he passed?" Carnarvon looked at him funny.

"I think she's very deceptive, I believe she's older than she looks, but it's rude to ask a lady her proper age," joked Carter.

Carnarvon laughed.

"True, true," he sipped his brandy and sighed. "Still, they make quite the endearing couple, have they mentioned when they plan to seal the deal?"

It was Carter's turn to laugh.

"If Javor had any say in it he would marry her tomorrow, but I think Helen wants to wait till after we find the tomb and they're back in…London or New York, wherever they decide to call home before they do that, it's not something they talk about all that much," Carter sighed.

"Am I wrong in thinking Javor looks mighty like that Tesla fellow…when he was younger…"

"Minus the mustache? Yes, I'd have to agree with you, but that Tesla fellow is in New York where he's always been, growing crazier and crazier as the years go by."

"I don't think he started off very sane to begin with, doesn't eat meat, doesn't interact with people, wouldn't even bed a woman, all he did was work, and even then he ran his business to the ground, the man was a batty Serbian from birth if you ask me," chuckled Carnarvon.

"I'm sure there's more to it than that," smiled Carter. "You can't believe everything you read in the newspapers, my friend. There is more to every man than we can assume."

Carnarvon nodded.

"Cheers to that," the two clinked glasses together. "I wonder what our mischievous couple is up to now."

"Probably no good," Carter eyed the lagoon then turned back to his friend. "Let's just hope nothing explodes."

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Helen stared up at the night sky, the brilliant sky of stars that seemed to go on forever. Her breathing was stilling and her chest rose quickly as she gained control of it. The sand warmed her back and the air dried her damp skin with a light wind.

Nikola lay next to her in a similar state, his breathing less controlled as her as he sucked in gulps of air only to let them out in a bashful laugh.

Their fingers were lazily entwined at their sides.

"We are ridiculous," Helen sighed, shaking her head at him. He chuckled in response, his breath not calm enough to let him say anything coherently.

His gazes moved upwards to the sky.

"Wow…you…you don't see a sky like that in New York, not even if you stood on the tallest building and looked as hard you could, you'd never find a view like that," Nikola rested a hand on his abdomen, his heart finally feeling like it was finding a resting pace.

Helen watched him with a soft smile.

"I like it," Nikola finished with a sigh. His hair was sticking up at all angles and Helen quite enjoyed how he looked like that.

"Really? Or are you just talking from a post-coital blissful haze," Helen teased.

"I don't know, both maybe," he shrugged, smiling widely as his eyes met hers. "Though the stars don't compare to the twinkle in your eyes."

Helen scoffed at the cheesy line.

"No, I mean it Helen, your eyes are stunning," he propped himself on his elbow. "It was the first thing that struck me when we first met…that and the red dress. Your cleavage looks magnificent in red."

Helen laughed.

"That would be the first thing you'd notice," Helen rolled her eyes.

"What, your eyes or your cleavage?" Nikola teased back, leaning down to kiss her tenderly.

Helen laughed and kissed him back briefly.

"Both," she shoved him back and he flopped back in the sand.

"We've known each other for far too long," he smirked.

"I don't know…I feel like every decade or so I learn something new about you," Helen sighed.

Nikola met her eyes again.

"Really?" he said.

Helen smiled.

"These last five years…it's been like getting to know you all over again," she squeezed his hand.

"Same here," he smiled, one of his more genuine grins, than the usual cheeky smile he put on for her.

"It's going to be so different when we leave this place," Helen sighed somewhat sadly.

Nikola felt his heart drop slightly.

"Right…" he looked away. "What if…what if we didn't?"

"What?" Helen sat up.

"What if we didn't, you know, leave," he propped himself on his elbows again. "What if we stayed here?"

"We can't…we both have lives we have to return to, you have you inventions, I have the Sanctuary, we can't put all those on hold to keep playing archeologists," Helen turned to him.

"I'm not talking about that…I mean this…us, traveling together, searching and discovering...why does that have to end because we've reached the end of the treasure map for this place…there is treasure everywhere, there are abnormals everywhere…your father's work doesn't end with this one discovery."

Helen bit her lip.

"Would you want that?" she met his eyes.

"I have nothing in New York, Helen, a couple of pigeons and projects to distract myself from the fact that I have nothing or no one to keep me company. My friends are wilting, I'm wilting Helen, not me…but Nikola Tesla…he's nearing seventy, moving from Hotel to Hotel because he can't afford to do anything else, waiting for the day death will finally hit him…I don't want to be him anymore…and I want to be Javor Dragoslav, scientist and adventurer and…fiancé to Helen Magnus," Nikola sheepishly added the last part.

Helen chuckled, taking it as just more of his teasing.

"Helen Magnus might have to go under the radar for while, she's becoming too old for me," sighed Helen. "But as much as I love traipsing around in the desert with you, once the tomb is found i'm going back to London and continuing my work there, I can't abandon everything I've built so far to go globe-trotting for treasure with you, as fun as that may be," she teased.

"I know that, I just meant that…I'm going to miss it," he laid back down to look at the sky again, his hand moving behind his head to support his neck.

Helen smiled and crawled up next to him, looping his arm around her to snuggled in as close as possible to him.

"Then let's make the best of it while we can," she rested her head over his heart, her arm looping around his middle.

"Ok," he mumbled.

"It'll all work out in the end, Nikola," she sighed, closing her eyes. She was ready to fall asleep right there, so she did, the grip of sleep taking her in mere moments, leaving Nikola to hold her in his strong bare arms.

He looked back up at the night sky then back down at her.

"In that case…I hope it's nowhere to be found," Nikola sighed, his arms tightening around her even more.

This was the happiest he could ever be, being with her was the most satisfying feeling he'd ever head, surpassing the World's Fair or Niagra. His happiness began and ended with her. He would give it all up in a heartbeat, even his name, if it meant she would be by his side forever. He'd made a mistake all those years ago for not confessing his feelings when he had the chance and he was a coward, a coward then and a coward now because he was too scared to fight for what he wanted, she could shatter him with just a look or rejection then he would truly have nothing.

He wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers this time, now that he had her, he'd never let her go…and they would be happy.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

_****_Hey! I finally managed to write a new chappie. There will be one more installment to this arc...the longest arc i've ever written, holy moles! But five years is a long time to span. Here's a little preview for what to expect next. The Johnsons will make one or two more appearances, then the war, woot! I won't be touching too much on the actualy war..because i feel like being lazy and i don't want to get too in-depthin all that djzzzit. I might steal some inspiration from what i previously wrote in the flashbacks of OTBOP...maybe...and I'm playing aroud with TimeWarp Helen...not confirming anything either yay or nay...but I've been thinking about her making one more stop before the stories' through...can you believe it...it's almost over...please no tears...it took me a year to write this...i'm glad it's almost over then i can move on to some of the other projects i've got in mind...both Teslen...both insanely dark and twisted muahahaha! Than and i have to finish my musical...I write too much, but it's fun!


	48. Their Oasis Dried Up (6)

**Chapter 48 – Their Oasis Dried Up (6)**

_**~~~~November 3, 1922~~~~**_

Helen snuggled closer to Nikola. It must've been around midnight, maybe later; the whole camp had gone still. This was one of the few times in the day they had to rest; Carter had been working everybody on overdrive the last few weeks.

Carnarvon's visit was brief, as he quickly had to return to Cairo to expect his daughter. Carter wanted to find something, anything before his return.

Helen had come to expect Nikola in her bed every night, feigning sleep impatiently as he would sneak over and carefully wind himself into her cot. Helen would wait a few minutes after he settled and crack an eye open to watch him sleep then snuggle into him. She wished he didn't leave in the morning, but he always did and then they went back to their usual ways unless she purposefully offered him an invitation to spend the night in her arms, but that was never as peaceful as this was.

This evening had been no different than any others, they had teased and flirted with each other all day, bathed in the lagoon; Helen almost hummed at the remembrance of their afternoon aquatic activities. She had also gotten used to Nikola's attentions during their swims, sometimes they were as light as him washing her back or massaging her scalp, sometimes they were as heated as letting him go under the water and tease her as she gripped tightly to the grass of the bank. This afternoon had been pretty tame, but full of teasing and flirty remarks as ever, which she won with a well-placed stroke and a bat of her eyelashes. He was left in a rut all the way through dinner and into the evening as he was shaving for the second time that day.

Helen had laughed at him because he was trying so hard not to show how much their battle of wits that afternoon was still affecting him; he angled his hips slightly, and twisted his neck the other way to keep his face in the mirror. He had been a little more than obvious and she had nearly toppled over laughing, earning her a scowl. She gave him a kiss as a truce, and then they had gone to their separate cots for the night.

Now he had just made his nightly migration from his cot over to hers, and Helen had done her routine of waiting for him to get settled before cracking her eyes open and watching him for a moment, but only now had she an irresistible urge to take his hand in hers. His hand was lying just on her hip, so close to where hers was lying, it wouldn't take much for her to reach up and grasp his fingers in hers. But she hesitated because she worried how'd he react if he knew he'd been caught cuddling her. She'd just have to reassure him that it was all right.

She gently slipped her hand in his and squeezed it, taking it to wrap around her waist.

Nikola's eyes shot open, and he went rigid with fear, his blue-grey eyes meeting hers in the dim lighting of the tent. Helen smiled up at him softly, turning in his arms to be pressed heart to heart with him. He kept his arm around her waist.

"Helen?" he whispered.

"Shh," she whispered back, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck, kissing a soft spot there. He relaxed immediately as her lips touched his skin. His free arm that was partially trapped between them scooted up to cup her cheek and kissed her tenderly. The kiss broke and Helen wrapped her arms around him and nestled into his embrace, her eyes drooping heavily and she fell asleep in mere moments. Nikola stayed awake though, feeling both shocked and outrageously happy. She had caught him and was completely happy with it…he didn't know what to do with that. He didn't know what it meant exactly but it did mean there was a possibility…possibility that they didn't have to end in Egypt, that this could continue far into the future.

He kissed the side of her head then closed his eyes to fall into the most peaceful and comfortable sleep he's ever had.

_**~~~~Early Morning~~~~**_

He didn't leave. When she woke up he was still there, still had his arms wrapped around her, his nose buried in the hair, hands entwined with hers. They were cuddled together tightly, warm and comfortable. Helen contemplated getting up quietly and getting dressed, just to torture him, but knew she would wake him up in the process, he was such a light sleeper, that and she didn't want to move just yet.

He stirred slightly, burying his nose even further into her neck. She turned around and kissed him lightly, it didn't wake him at first, so she kissed him again, then again until he was kissing back, and his arms tightened around her. She giggled slightly when he rolled her over then under him, draping his torso over hers.

"Good morning," he mumbled. His eyes finally cracked open and he looked down at her with a smile.

"Morning," she sighed.

"Do you know how lovely it is to get a morning call from you?" he teased.

"Probably just as lovely as finding you in my bed last night, uninvited," she teased him back.

"I was lonely, what can I say, I needed a cuddle," he shrugged. "And since you were the closest I just snuggled down by you. You didn't mind, did you?"

He placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Mmm, not at all…there was a draft," she joked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He chuckled and ran his hands down her sides.

"Oh Miss Magnus, you wound me," he began kissing her neck.

"And I'm sure you deserve ever snick and cut I deliver," she teased grasping the hair at the back of his head.

"You wicked, wicked woman," he growled, kissing lower to her clavicle.

"You needy, needy man," Helen snickered and pulled him by his hair away from her skin, dragging him back up to her lips.

They were going to miss breakfast.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

The dig was going as usual, several men working in one pit, while others worked in another.

Helen and Carter were fussing over some of her father's notes, comparing them to other notes, and ancient maps. Usually an argument like this would be heated, and full of debate but her mind kept wandering across to the other side of the pits to Nikola.

He had his own workbench where he dealt with making the camp as efficient as possible. He had caught her attentions and grinned before waving.

They had developed a system of hand gestures together, out of boredom, and the five years they've spent running from men with guns together. They meant nothing to anyone watching, but right now he was doing all he could to make her laugh, which he was succeeding with. Carter kept talking and fumbling around looking at all the maps they had on hand, plus ancient scripts, and evidence from previous excursions, trying to calculate the possible entrance point.

Helen barely heard a word he said as she gestured something rather suggestive back to Nikola with a cheeky grin. He raised his eyebrow at her in surprise then grinned as well before undoing one or two choice buttons on his shirt, feigning heat. Helen eyed his neck with a certain interest.

The game they were playing was beyond juvenile but compared to the cold seriousness of Carter's demeanor she was in the mood for a bit of Nikola's boyish charm.

Nikola turned around, his attention drawn by one of the workers asking him a question. The man was showing him something and placed it on Nikola's workbench. Nikola took the opportunity to lean over and give Helen a generous view of his glorious rump. She laughed and covered her blush with her hand, catching Carter's attention.

Nikola turned around, hearing her laugh, giving her a cheeky grin. She signaled to him: "Nice arse."

He signaled back: "Glad to know you were looking."

She laughed again.

"Helen, are you paying attention?" asked Carter.

"What?" she turned to him.

"Have you heard a word I've said?" he asked.

"Of course…I was just…distracted for a second," Helen turned to him.

"This is not some folly I'm talking about, this could lead to the discovery of this tomb, a fact on which I'm deadly serious about," Carter looked at her sternly.

"I know, I'm sorry," she eyed Nikola out of the corner of her eye with a small smirk before following Carter to another desk.

"Carnarvon is cutting our funding after this winter if we don't discover something," sighed Carter. "If he leaves all of this goes with him."

Helen nodded, her eyes darting back to Nikola.

He had a leg up on a crate and was posing as dashing as he could manage, trying to look casual, but knew she was going to spot him at some point.

Helen smothered a laugh, disguising it as a cough.

"Are you alright, my dear?" asked Carter.

"Yes, I'm fine," Helen nodded. "Go on."

Carter nodded and kept talking.

She looked back at Nikola and he had migrated to lying on top of his workbench with a certain come hither look to him.

She shook her head at him to tell him to stop.

He took that as a challenge.

Helen tried to ignore him and listen to what Carter was saying, but ended up looking back in time to see him pop the top off his canteen and dump half it's content over his head, making him look very wet and attractive. Helen bit her lip; suddenly she was thirsty.

He grinned at her and signaled: "You busy?" to her.

Helen signaled: "Yes, go away."

She waved him off and desperately tried to pay attention to Carter.

Her eye wandered back over to him again. He had taken his handkerchief out of his breast pocket and was wiping the water of his neck and chest very slowly. It was sad to admit but she kind of wanted to be that piece of cloth at that point.

She shook her head and turned back to Carter once again.

Nikola signaled: "I'll be here if you need me."

She tried to ignore it, knowing what he was insinuating.

"…and with that the tomb should be…around here somewhere…I think I've got it. One of us needs to go over to Javor and tell him this," said Carter, he had circled an area on a map.

"I'll go," Helen perked up. "You get started on this right away and I'll bring him up to speed."

Carter looked at her funny, but shrugged.

"Alright, I'll take some of the workers to this point and get them digging," said Carter.

"Meet you there," Helen walked briskly away from Carter and over to Nikola, keeping her eye on Carter, he watched her for a moment before quickly running off the get what he needed done.

Helen reached Nikola and he met her with a smirk. The sun had already dried his hair and shirt.

"Well hi there," Nikola chuckled.

Helen came up to him and grabbed the front of his shirt tightly.

"You are an incessant, pestilent, infuriating man, and if you don't follow me into this tent right now you are sleeping outside by yourself tonight," she whispered into his ear.

He grinned widely; like he was going to argue with a voice like that. She dragged him by the collar into the shelter of the tent before grasping his head tightly and kissing him soundly. He caught on quickly and was soon kissing her back fiercely and pulling her body close to his. He loved it when she wore her tight fitting trousers, but at this point he loved the fact that she chose to wear a knee length skirt as his hands slid beneath the hem.

"This has to be quick," she whispered. "Carter's expecting us."

Nikola smirked and hoisted her on to one of the wooden crates in the tent.

"Oh Helen, I can't promise you anything," Nikola teased before his lips attacked her neck.

Helen grasped his head and laughed, not really caring what Carter thought.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Carter was deep in thought as men ran around him with shovels and all other sorts of gear, ready to dig in any spot they were asked to. He stood in the middle of it all with his hand on his chin. He was mapping out the land before him, transferring what he saw from papers to the sand and dunes. It was all forming in his head. He could almost see ancient Egypt coming to life; the golden chariots, the delicately painted walls, magnificent temples, and the grand tombs for their pharoahs.

The road was well-worn, it would've been then, by the hooves of camels and horses, and other livestock; by armies and slaves alike. Those roads had long since been covered by sand, but underneath the sand was treasure of that old world.

He got on his knees and began pawing at the sand, visualizing something he couldn't quite describe.

He looked beyond the sand and years of neglect and natural elements and saw himself in the old world of Egypt. He was at the young Pharoah's funeral, the procession mourning the loss of their young king. His body wrapped and place in its sarcophagus. Slaves carried it on their shoulders to the beating of the ceremonial drum.

He followed the procession, watching them carefully. The temple priests spoke in prayer over his soul, incense was burning, women cried and wailed.

There was his tomb, perfect and pristine, his sarcophagus placed inside, blessed, then sealed and the procession left, leaving Carter back in the sand over a thousand years later.

He pointed to where the entrance had been.

"There," he said. "There, dig there!"

The men immediately ran in with their shovels and began digging frantically.

"Helen, I think I found it, I…" he looked around him. There was no sign of his companions anywhere. "Where the hell are they?"

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Helen wrapped her legs around Nikola's waist. He was panting hard against her neck as they moved together with abandon.

This was so juvenile, reckless even, and more than a little exciting. Helen fought as hard she could not to make any noise, so as not to draw any attention to themselves inside the supply tent. He kissed her neck feverishly and tenderly, while she hung off his shoulders.

Nikola's hand slipped inside her opened blouse and grasped her bare side, his other sliding along her thigh and hiking her leg up higher.

Helen's back threatened to fall back against the top of the crate, but she grabbed his shirt to keep herself upright, sending him flying forward, his hand sprang out to catch himself, ending with him sprawled out half on top of her. He gasped, the fall winding him slightly. He looked down at her and laughed, she laughed back.

Without saying he word he leant down and kissed her gently, his pace slowing, though both their hearts were racing.

"You drive me wild, Dr. Magnus," he whispered dropping a kiss to her clavicle.

"As do you, Mr. Tesla," she sighed, sliding a hand into his hair before gripping it tightly and yanking his whole body up to her. He landed with a grunt and a rather shocked expression.

"Now, no more talking," she growled and kissed him. Again, he didn't think it wise to argue.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Carter watched his men dig with a reckless fervor. He paced behind them, his finger tapping his chin out of habit. He couldn't worry about his associates right now, he felt it in his gut that he was right, that there was something here. The time ticked by egregiously slow.

It was getting on his nerves. They weren't digging fast enough, there was too much sand, where was Helen and Javor? Who was humming? Why was I taking so long?

Something caught his eye suddenly, and he leant down, nearly pressing his face into the sand. He could just…was that?

"Halt!" he called.

The men stopped digging and Carter pushed his way through them and knelt down to the ground.

"You, give me your shovel, quickly!" he barked, the nearest man handed him the shovel.

Carter scooped away some sand before hitting something harder, and solid. He grinned widely before forcing the spade of the shove hard down upon it. The hard rock crumbled away, taking a fragment of sand with it.

"Quick someone, bring me a torch!" he ordered.

A young man ran out of the circle to grab an unlit torch and brought it quickly to Carter. He pulled a match out of his vest pocket and lit the torch before taking it from the young worker.

He moved more dirt out of the way, revealing a black opening in the ground.

He brought the torch as close as he could and peered inside the whole. He couldn't see a lot, just the front entrance of what was definitely a tomb.

"It…it's here…this is it!" he laughed in triumph. "We found it! This is it!"

The men around him cheered loudly.

"We found it!" was shouted in every possible Egyptian dialect all across the camp. The entirety of the camp came running to the source of the celebration to catch a glimpse of the discovery; every man joining in unison into the shouting.

Nikola paused, hearing the commotion. Helen stopped as well, and blinked away the haze of lust form her eyes, her mind crashing back into sobriety.

"What is that?" asked Nikola, straightening up.

Helen sat up as well.

"I don't know," she said.

Nikola listened carefully.

"They found something," he turned to her.

"The tomb?" she asked.

"I don't know, but…" he gave her a knowing glance and she nodded, quickly untangling herself from him and straightening her clothes and buttoning up her blouse to make herself look presentable.

Nikola did the same and they rushed out of the tent, their previous activities quickly forgotten.

They reached the middle of the excitement quickly, approaching Carter.

"Carter, what is it?" Helen called, running over to him.

"An opening, Helen, it's here, it's here," Carter cried excitedly.

"Oh my god!" Helen cried and hugged Carter in celebration. "We've found it! We've found he tomb."

Nikola stopped his approach. A realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

They found it. The one thing he hoped they'd never find, they found it. Now their mission was over.

He looked at the small opening in the ground with a mixture of shock and heartbreak.

It was over.

His luck just ran out.

Helen looked back at him with triumph then met his eyes, the smile quickly falling.

He looked at her and she knew instantly what he was feeling, it all became clear. He didn't want it to end, because now they couldn't play fiancé's anymore.

She froze, locked in his gaze.

All she could think to do was to mouth: "I'm sorry," to him.

He broke contact and looked down at the ground, his mind not able to process that response from her. He turned away and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"Where's Javor going?" Carter asked.

"I…I don't think he's feeling very well," Helen sighed.

"Oh, shame, he really should be here to celebrate our success," said Carter. "Which reminds me, I need to send a message off to Carnarvon as quickly as possible, he'll be most pleased with our discovery."

Helen nodded and let Carter and the rest of the celebrating workers walk off.

She had to find Nikola and talk with him, though she had no idea what she'd say.

She went to their tent and it was empty, he hadn't gone there at all. She sighed. She was going to miss all of this. It had been five years of sharing everything with him, from food to water, to blankets, even clothes once when her case had dropped into the nile, he had lent her his shirt and trousers to keep herself warm.

The thought of water struck her. She knew exactly where he was.

Without another thought she went to their lagoon.

He was there, just like she had expected, standing at the edge of the bank, a hand in his pocket, the other hand skipping stones into the pond.

"Not thinking of jumping in are you?" she asked.

Nikola jumped and turned to her.

"I mean, the suit would get ruined if you did," she said as her eyes met his.

"Yes, the suit," he muttered.

"It's funny, five years of searching and it's all over in a single moment," she came up to stand beside him.

He turned back to the pond.

"And we weren't even there to see it uncovered," she continued.

"I would've much preferred being with you anyways," Nikola said turning to her. "Helen, I…"

"Nikola we can't," she interrupted him.

"Why not?" he asked sincerely.

"Because, this…this is not us, this is Egypt. We can't stay here forever, Nikola, as much as we'd like to," she turned to him and caressed his cheek. "It was great while it lasted."

"Why can't we make it last? Not Egypt, but this…us, why can't we make it last? We've spent the last five years day in and day out with each other, what stopping us from spending another five, or ten, or fifty?"

Helen watched him carefully.

"Nikola what are you saying?" she couldn't read him, for the first time in a long time she couldn't read him.

"I'm saying, we've been playing fiancés for two years now, and not just in the eyes of the workers or Carter. We've been playing fiancés with each other, and…and I don't want to play anymore," he grasped her hands and got on one knee in front of her. "Marry me, Helen."

Helen was speech-ridden. She had expected many things, but she had never expected him to do this, not like this, not so sincerely.

"I, I…"

"I'm willing to give up everything, Helen. New York, the pigeons, everything, everything for you," he looked into her eyes. "You have been my life the last five years, I can't…I can't go back to having nothing so easily."

Helen bit her lip then narrowed her gaze.

"What about your inventions?" she asked.

"What about them?" it was his turn to search her eyes for answers.

"Would you give up inventing for me?" she asked. "Would you reduce yourself to my kind of work just to be with me?"

Nikola released her hands and looked down for a second, the air escaping him. Inventing, being an inventor was everything, it was his reason for being, it was his purpose. Could he just give that up? Was it that simple? He's have truly nothing for himself after that, it would all belong to her, could he allow that.

His head snapped back up to her and met her gaze.

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

The answer took Helen by surprise.

"Really?" she double-checked.

"For this, yes. If that's what it takes," he didn't falter in his response.

"Are you saying that you love me, Mr. Tesla?" asked Helen.

"Yes," he answered again. "I believe I am."

Helen let out a sigh, not knowing if she could handle this completely honest and bare-boned side to Nikola, he was bearing his soul to her and she didn't know what to do with that. She had come here with many answers, expecting he'd either accept, or plead, but this…this proposal.

Their oasis dried up in Egypt, but here he was offering a water bag.

"Yes," she said, so quietly it was more like a gasp. "Yes."

"Yes?" he looked at her carefully.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she nodded.

"You will?" he grasped her hands again, his eyes nearly bursting with joy.

She nodded and he picked her up so quickly it took her by surprise. He kissed her happily twirling her around. She was nearly brought to tears by his elation. Perhaps he did love her.

"So what does this mean now?" he asked, putting her down.

"I guess it means I'm taking home a souvenir when I return to London," she smiled and caressed his cheek.

"Won't the boys be pleasantly surprised," Nikola smirked. "Your own devoted fiancé."

"Devoted, are you?" she teased.

"Completely, whole-heartedly and undoubtedly, I haven't looked at another women in five years," he crossed his hand over his heart.

"You haven't seen another woman in five years," Helen rolled her eyes.

"But I'd still choose you," he kissed her again, playfully. She'd never seen him like this. "First order of business…a ring. You need one I'm told."

Helen laughed.

"Let's wait till we get back to London before we start worrying about such trivial subjects like rings and linen," she kissed him gently and he grasped her hand.

He held her around the waist.

"I promise, I won't let you slip away this time," he smirked and stared at her.

Helen stared at him suspiciously for a second before smiling, and wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I hope so," she muttered into his chest.

He barely heard it over the thrumming of his heart in his ears.

He broke away and grasped her hands.

"Come on, let's celebrate our engagement shall we?" he began leading her away from the lagoon.

"With who?" she laughed. "They all thought we were engaged to begin with."

"Well, now it will be true. They're drinking champagne anyway," he smirked.

Helen laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Can't we just…celebrate…in the tent," she said suggestively.

"Yah, but then we wouldn't have alcohol."

She smacked his head.

"Ow!"

"You're an idiot."

"Yes, but now I'm your idiot."

"Yay me."

"Ok, if we're engaged now you are going to have to be way more excited than that."

Smack.

"Ow!"

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

I have no idea how you guy's are going to react to this. *prepares to duck thrown shoes*

This idea somehow came to me, it's a bit of theory, if you guys are thinking this is a bit too left side, i know, i wrote it that way, but obviously, it's not ever going to get to a wedding. It somehow made sense to me...but at this point i'm just going, muahaha! I can tell whatever story I want...so if it's too AU for you...well...too bad. :P

It will all turn out right in the end, just trust that.

Tell me what you think, crazy, not crazy..omigosh revelation! Anything like that, and yes sorry, this is the end of the Egypt Arc. It will be followed by a series of one-offs, and the next Arc will probably be leading into Nikola's death and World War 2...fun!

I know a lot of you have been waiting for World War 2...I have yet to decide if i want to do all the research or if I actually want to have it in the foreground. It depends, i'll get there when it comes around. But I plan to bring back some past characters and give them a last shot before that happens.

Question time!

So far, what has been your favorite Arc in this story?

I haven't done this in awhile and you give always have such good answers, so im excited :)

Love you all! Happy summer days :)


	49. The Giving of Rings (1)

**Chapter 49 – The Giving of Rings (1)**

_**~~~~March 1923~~~~**_

Helen Magnus stepped out of the car and on to the cobbled streets of London. She breathed in the damp musky air of London's brisk spring air, and felt it move around her like an old friend. She was finally home. It had been awhile.

She stepped further, past the gate, to the steps of her home. The Sanctuary. It was just like she had left it.

She had telegrammed ahead, telling James and Nigel of her imminent arrival, she could just imagine them waiting excitingly behind the door, like children.

The door was unlocked and swung open lazily. Helen walked in carefully, hoping they hadn't planned some kind of surprise welcoming for her.

"Hello," she called out.

There was no answer. There was no one.

She sighed and entered into the foyer, taking off her hat and gloves and placing them on the little table.

This was the price you paid for living with workaholics.

She heard frantic footsteps and James came running down the steps.

"Helen!" he waved. "I'm so sorry, I had meant to greet you, but..."

"I understand, I didn't want a welcome party anyway, I'm just glad to be home," she sighed.

"And we're glad to have you home. Was it successful? You didn't give much detail in your letter," James kisses her cheek gently in friendly greeting.

"Whatever my father theorized was there, well, wasn't, Carter though was immensely happy with his discovery," Helen sighed.

"Certainly that can't be all?" James sighed. "You must've picked up something."

"Well, I did, actually, but it's not what you'd expect," she smirked slightly.

"Try me," James crossed his arms.

The pair was interrupted by a loud thunk and a Serbian curse.

"Why must you make these doorways so unbelievably narrow, you can barely fit me through here, and that's saying a lot," Nikola barged in carrying all of Helen's luggage.

"Ah, the prodigal scientist," sighed James.

"James, aren't you looking...old, how is it going?" Nikola smirked.

"We're faring well, why are you here?" James quirked his eyebrows at him.

"Oh...I'll let Helen tell you, I'll get the rest of those bags, my darling," Nikola gave her a quick chaste kiss before strolling out back to the car.

James was stunned.

"He's what you picked up in Egypt?" he whispered emphatically to Helen.

"I told you, you wouldn't expect it," Helen shrugged sheepishly.

"Nor do I understand it. Tell me you're not sleeping with him again, oh Helen, not again," James groaned.

"Well, yes and no," Helen sighed.

"What does that mean?" sighed James.

"Nikola has asked me to marry him and I have accepted," Helen said sternly.

"What? You're...you two are..." James mouth flapped open and shut.

"Nikola said he'd give up everything so I'm putting him to the test," Helen sighed at James. "I think this time he really means it."

"What do you mean he gave up everything?" James looked at her funny.

"I gave him an ultimatum: me or his inventions; he chose me. If he sticks to it I will marry him, and of course let him go back to his inventing, but I needed to know, needed some way he could prove that he loved me enough for me to be his wife."

"Helen, the last time you and he...well, it was a disaster," James warned.

"Yes, well, this time it's different, very different in fact. Then we made the mistake of thinking both of us were ready. But now, we've been at each other's sides for 5 years in the desert, that deserves some merit," she reasoned.

"But...it's Nikola, are you really saying you...yourself...love him?" asked James skeptically.

"In all honesty...yes, I think I do," Helen looked out the open door way to the childish excitement that was Nikola, running around all sides of the car to make sure he got everything.

James watched her reaction.

"You're serious?" he gasped.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she snapped towards him.

"Just...tread carefully, please Helen. I still don't trust him with your heart," sighed James.

Helen smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Yes father," she teased.

"Please, if I was your father I would forbid you from seeing that man," James teased back.

"I would rebel," she laughed going to help Nikola.

"I would ground you," James replied.

"I'd runaway," she stuck her tongue out.

"I'd shoot him in the back," James stated, thinking he'd won this game of wits.

"He'd live," she finished triumphantly, leaving James at a loss.

He grumbled; he'd get her next time.

Helen ran out to her fiancé, it was so weird to think of him like that.

"So, how did James take the news?" asked Nikola.

"Well, he's not in love with the idea, but he can't argue with me," she kissed his cheek and took a bag off him to help.

"So, he took it better than we thought he would," Nikola smirked.

"Be wary though, I saw that look in his eyes I know that means he's going to interrogate you later," she teased.

"I can handle it, I might as well prove that I am worthy of your hand sooner rather than later," he smiled at her before leaning over to kiss her.

She moved at the last second and he caught her cheek.

He chuckled slightly as he pulled back.

"Where do you want your bags, my love?" he smiled widely with an inner joy at being able to call her that.

"Just take it up to our room, I'll take care of it later," Helen sighed absentmindedly, her thought already on getting back to work as she began rifling through a pile of letters that James had left for her on the small stand.

"Our bedroom?" Nikola perked up.

Helen halted and laughed slightly.

"Yes, if you can keep your hands to yourself," she teased.

"Can I cuddle?" he asked, looking like a young boy, and it almost melted her right there.

"Yes, but only if the hands stay in my middle section and don't move," she warned. Truth be told, the last few nights she had missed his company next to her at night tremendously. She had rather gotten used to sleeping with his arms around her, and she also trusted that he didn't sleep at all unless having her as his own personal teddy bear.

Nikola dropped the bags he was holding gently and stepped up to her, his hands coming to her waist.

"You'll have to give me a list so that I can keep track of all these rules," he grinned and kissed her cheek again.

Helen smirked and kissed him on the lips.

"I will have it for you tomorrow," she adjusted a stray piece of hair, out of habit, and then stepped back. "Now, do as you're told."

"Yes, ma'am," Nikola grinned and picked up the bags again.

Hw scooted up the stairs with their luggage with such a boyish spring in his step, that Helen couldn't help but laugh.

She shook her head and collected the letters before heading to her office. It was just like she left it, with barely a paper out of place. On her desk was a little card, on it said "Welcome Back," she recognized Nigel's handwriting.

She smiled and placed the card to the side as she plopped the letters on the desk, most of the letters were bills and postcards from her contacts; she sorted through each of them with a tender curiosity.

It was only until the door swung open that she looked up from them.

"Did you realize that you've got a warped step on your staircase?" Nikola entered. "Two hours with some nails and a hammer would fix it right up."

Helen laughed.

"You promised, no inventing," she smirked.

"It's hardly an invention, it's a repair, I would hate to think of old Jamesy boy running down that staircase and twisting his ankle," Nikola teased coming up to her. "All I need is a hammer."

"I'll take your inquiry to Nigel, he can fix it up, it's his job," Helen sighed putting her letters down.

"So what's my job then?" Nikola leaned on the desk, looking her straight on in the eye.

"To pleasure me," Helen said with a husky tone that crawled all the way up Nikola's spine.

"How so?" he grinned.

"By making me some tea, I'm practically parched," Helen smirked, loving the way he visibly deflated.

"Some I'm your little waiting boy, is that it?" he sighed.

"Think of it as a vacation Nikola, go read some poetry, learn something new, distract yourself in new ways," Helen suggested.

Nikola smirked and walked around the desk, he lowered himself to his knees in front of her and sighed.

"You already took away my two favorite distractions: my genius and you. You mean I'd have to find more?" he groaned, burying his head in her lap.

"You can cook?" Helen shrugged.

"So I'm a housewife now?" he groaned again.

"If you ever want to be a husband you're going to have to try. Come on, Nikola, it's hardly been an hour since we've gotten back and you're bored," she ruffled his hair.

"Fine, I'll make you some tea and I'll read," he sighed. "Can I at least occupy this chair when I do it?"

He pointed to the large chair in the corner of her office.

"As long as you don't disturb me, you are most welcome," Helen returned to her letters.

After about a minute she felt distinct presence hovering by her ear.

She put the letters down with a huff.

"What do you want?" she peered at him through the corner of her eye.

"Don't I get a kiss?" he looked at her with big blue eyes and a cheeky smile.

Helen relented slightly and turned to peck his cheek but he turned his head in the nick of time to capture her lips. Helen squeaked slightly and brought her hands up to push him away.

"You sneaky bugger," she grumbled.

"I thought you'd like that," Nikola grinned boyishly.

"I thought you were going to be on your best behavior," Helen glared at him.

"I am being on my best behavior, if I wasn't I'd do this," he spun her chair to face him and jerked it forward so that her knees pressed against his stomach. He parted them slightly and fit his lithe body in the space between. He did it so fast that Helen barely had time to catch her breath.

His face hovered just above her and he grinned widely with amusement.

"Nikola, this is my office," she admonished.

"All the more exciting," he slid his hands up to her waist.

"All the more inappropriate," she warned.

"All the more fun," he chuckled and leant in to kiss her gently.

Helen couldn't help a small giggle from escaping her.

"You are such a brat," she sighed before wrapping her arms around his head and kissing him languidly.

A cough brought reality crashing down on top of them and Helen cracked an eye open to see James standing in her office with a les than amused expression on his face.

Helen pushed Nikola away and he let go easily.

"Am I disrupting anything?" asked James with a skeptical eye.

"No, no, Nikola was just leaving," Helen said giving a side glance to Nikola.

He smirked and nodded his head.

"Right, it was cream and sugar with your tea, right darling?" asked Nikola as he got to his feet.

"If it's not too much trouble," Helen smirked at him.

"No, James you want a cup?" asked Nikola.

"No, I'm fine," James said coolly.

"Great then, now to see if I remember where the kitchen is," Nikola sauntered over to the door and gave one last amused look over to Helen before leaving.

"It's down the hall and-" Helen started.

"I know, I know!" Nikola waved her off as he walked away.

Helen sighed with a small smile.

"You two are children," James said humorlessly.

"He's just excited, you know how he is," Helen ignored James' tone and continued to sift through her letters.

"No, I don't, not when it comes to you and him," James came up to her. "I don't approve of this engagement."

"I know you don't, but it's been all of two hours since you learned of it, I swear James he's grown up, we're both not the idiots we were the first time, stop going by your damn precedent and just be happy for me, for once!" Helen grumbled. "I deserve as much."

"Yes, but with him, he's about as loyal as a hamster, Helen," James scoffed.

"That is not true, he has always been loyal to us and our cause, he just chose not to devote his life to someone else's work, but he has always been loyal, and this time I think he's truly willing to stay," Helen said firmly. "At least willing to try."

"What happened in those five years that has changed your opinion of him so drastically?" James growled.

"He was the only one I could depend on in that desert, James, and he didn't leave me then. He deserves some consideration," Helen sighed.

"He's the same man he ever was, Helen. You ask enough of him he will run like the wind back into his controllable little world where he's comfortable. The afterglow of Egypt is going to fade and with it will go all his devotion. He will begin to fall into old habits and he will hurt you in the process," James said firmly.

"Well, here's hoping you're wrong," Helen bit coldly. "Please leave, James."

"Helen, I…"

"Leave James!" Helen barked.

James bit his lip and dropped the files in his hands on her desk with a resounding slam before turning sharply and leaving.

Helen glared at the back of his head as he left, barely flinching when the door slammed closed.

She sat down with a huff.

Lifting her hand to gaze at the small delicate ring on her left ring finger.

"_You need a ring," Nikola lifted up her bare hand._

"_In London we said we'd worry about those things," sighed Helen._

"_We're in Cairo now, our boat doesn't leave until tomorrow, why not here? It's perfect," he led her through the streets of the bustling city._

_Helen smiled slightly, squeezing his fingers in hers._

"_The ring is not the point," she sighed again._

"_Come on, Helen, let me buy you a ring," he tugged her over to the nearest stall. "How about this?"_

_He held up a gold ring with an onyx scarab jewel fixed on it._

"_Oh no, too tacky," she laughed._

"_Agreed," he put the ring down._

"_This one is interesting," Helen held up a gold ring with hints of blue in it._

"_It's hardly an engagement ring," he scrunched his face up at it. "But if you like it…"_

"_I don't," Helen smirked and put it down._

_They moved away from the stall and perused by other stalls until Nikola stopped._

"_Wait here," he turned to her._

"_What?"_

"_Just do it, and close your eyes," he said with a hint of a smile on his lips._

"_I'm not closing my eyes in the middle of the marketplace, I could be robbed blind, literally blind," she laughed._

"_I'll only be a second, just do it for me," he held her hand tightly. "I'll be right back."_

_Helen sighed but closed her eyes. He let go of her hand and for a brief moment she felt lost in a sea of sounds. She tried to make him out from the rest of the crowd, but he was nowhere to be found until she felt his hand grasp hers._

"_Hold your hand out," he whispered into her ear, his warmth brushing her face._

_She did as she was told, holding her hand out palm up. He took her hand and turned it palm down, interlacing his fingers with hers._

"_When I say when open your eyes," he whispered again, pressing a small kiss to the side of her head. "Open your eyes."_

_Helen laughed._

"_You are so pretentious," she teased and she heard him chuckle._

"_I'm romantic, now stop ruining the moment," he smirked, using his free hand to slip a small ring on her finger, she felt the brush of metal as it slid smoothly over her knuckle. "Alright, open."_

_Helen opened her eyes carefully, wondering what they were going to see on her hand. The sight took her breath away momentarily. Nikola had found a ring, gold and silver interlaced together almost like their hands were with a small sparkling gem that reminded her of the twinkle in Nikola's eyes whenever he was truly happy. She usually only saw that twinkle when he had discovered something so fascinating he couldn't put it into words. That twinkle was in his eye right now._

_Helen smiled._

"_I love it," she managed to say._

"_I thought you might," he smirked. "It caught my eye instantly, just like you."_

_Helen laughed._

"_It was my cleavage that caught your eye instantly," she teased._

"_Same difference, it was the best cleavage in the room," he smirked._

"_It was the only cleavage in the room," she shoved him playfully. "It wasn't even in a room, we met in the park."_

"_Officially, you went to three of my classes before we knew each other by name," he pointed out._

"_And you ogled me all three times?" she gave him a look and he scoffed._

"_No, just the once," he shrugged and Helen laughed._

"_Why did I agree to this again?" she sighed._

"_Because you needed a ring and I wanted to buy one for you, we're officially engaged now!" he took her hand again and they began walking through the market again._

"_No, I'm talking the engagement, why'd I agree to it?" she joked and he visibly deflated._

"_Because you love me," he gave her puppy dog eyes._

_Helen paused and looked at him._

"_Yes, I suppose I do," she cupped his cheek gently then pinched it. His face screwed up with dislike for the gesture and she laughed again._

"_Ow," Nikola rubbed his cheek._

"_Thank you, I love it," she kissed him tenderly and then took his hand. _

"_Now, to find you a pair of cufflinks," she grinned._

"_Oh yes, you broke mine," Nikola grinned deviously._

_The pair continued through the market place hand-in-hand._

Helen smiled fondly at the memory, staring at the ring. It truly was a beautiful ring, even more so than the ring John had given her. She still had it locked away as a memento of happier times, but maybe it was time to replace it with a new memento.

She sighed looking at the place James had vacated. He didn't agree with it now but he'd come to see, Nikola had shown her a new side to him during their time in the desert and she wasn't ready to give up on him yet.

The door swung open and interrupted her thoughts; Nikola came in carrying a tea tray and she smiled warmly at him.

"Here you are my love," he lowered the tray on her desk.

"Thank you, darling," she smiled and patted his hand.

"I found a book of poetry, Whitman of course, but it should be a pleasant distraction for a few hours," he sighed and Helen relented.

"I was thinking, Nikola, that I could use your skills to help do a few fix ups around the Sanctuary. I mean, we've been wanting to repair all kinds of things around here but we never have time, so…" she watched his whole face light up.

"Really?" he said excitedly.

"It's unfair to expect you to do nothing for 6 months except read and fetch me tea," Helen smirked. "Though you're very good at it."

Nikola leant over and kissed her cheek.

"What do you need me to do first? The stair? That will take a few hours but it will be hours well spent," she could see the wheels of his mind turn and she laughed.

"As long as you promise me that if I need you for anything, despite how trivial, you will drop whatever you're doing and be by my side," she took his hand with her ringed hand.

"Of course," he took her hand and kissed it. "You know I will."

"And no inventing, just repairs," she said pointedly.

"Understood, just repairs, good old hammer and nail work, I know," he put the book down and made his way to the door. "Where does James keep the old toolkit?"

"In his lab, I believe," she grinned.

"Excellent, I'll just have that stair fixed up then I'll be right back to read that book," he blew her a kiss then sauntered of the office to the elevator. It wasn't that he couldn't handle not being an inventor or a scientist; it was because he hated being useless, and he knew that Helen only wanted to be sure of his devotion and he was determined not to let it slip through his hands.

He reached James' office, a certain spring in his step. James was there and he visibly tensed when he recognized the certain tune Nikola was whistling, only one man would be whistling old Serbian lullabies.

"James, old friend, where do you keep the toolkit?" Nikola asked with a smile.

James couldn't keep it contained anymore. In a second his hands gripped Nikola's collar and slammed him against the wall. Nikola gasped, the air knocked right out of his lungs.

"Who do you think you're playing?" he growled. "I stayed idly by the first time you and Helen played this disgusting game, and I saw you too eat at each other and I don't know what you've done or said to convince her that this time will be any different but I know you. You are a coward, Nikola, you will run once the romance wears off, you haven't got it in you to stick to anything, and you are going to hurt Helen in the process."

James slammed Nikola forward and back and Nikola's head smacked the wall with a hard thud.

"Of all of us, Nikola, including John, you are the one I trust the least with Helen's affections," James growled. "If you hurt her…so help me, I'll…I won't watch her get hurt again. I was the one who stayed, Nikola, me! Not you, not John, not Nigel. I was the one who had to pick up the pieces when John shunned her because you keep running away!"

"She told me to!" Nikola shouted, his blood boiling. "If you recall Helen was not the only one shaken by the experience!"

"Yes, and you were the only one who ran away from it," James felt like shaking him.

"I did not run away! At the time it was what Helen wanted, I thought I was doing the best thing, is that such a crime?" Nikola growled.

"Then when you came back you were professing love and promising affections and a physical romance, and god I hate you!" James brought his fist back and punched Nikola hard in the face.

Nikola's head snapped back and bumped the wall again. He brought his hand to cup his nose. James released him and stepped away.

"And now, just when I think you two have learned your lesson you come back, more lies and false promises, and it scares me Nikola, because she's falling for it. She really believes that you are a changed man while I see the same old scared bastard you've always been."

Nikola grabbed James and punched him. James nearly fell to the floor but caught himself on the workbench. He got back to his feet and grabbed Nikola around the waist and tackled him to the floor. Nikola gasped and used his legs to spin them around and pin James to the floor and give him a good hit, he brought his knees in sharply to jab James' sides. James growled and punched Nikola hard enough to send him flying backwards. James scrambled to grab Nikola in a headlock and cut off his air circulation.

"Tell me. Tell me, Nikola! One thing! Do you love her at all? Or is this just some idiotic scheme of yours?" James growled. "Tell me the truth!"

"I…I love her!" Nikola gurgled and gasped through his choking throat.

James relaxed and released him.

"I've always loved her!" he threw James off him. "I loved her since we met in Oxford. I loved her before John even set eyes on her, before you came along, and before the Five. I loved her during those bloody years she was engaged to that madman, I loved her even though I thought she believed I was the Ripper, I loved her after she rejected me time and time again and I love her now. It's because of her I have made every decision in my life, good or bad, and yes I was a coward before, but now…now I've realized I don't want that anymore. Nikola Tesla is dying, he's getting old, it's time for a change, and my time in Egypt made me realize that I want that change to be with Helen, for Helen. I've never felt so alive like when I'm with Helen."

Nikola coughed to clear his throat and rubbed it slightly.

James breathed heavily and grasped his chest slightly, feeling around for the machinery that was keeping him alive.

"You're serious?" James gasped.

"Would I give up my life's work for a joke?" asked Nikola. "I could be inventing a new device, anything I wanted, but I chose Helen," Nikola stood up warily. "I forgot how strong you were."

James chuckled and stood up.

"Not bad for a boring old human," James opened his shirt and fixed the settings on the chest plate. Nikola was transfixed with both awe and horror.

"What's it like?" asked Nikola.

"This? Hell," James groaned. "I can feel my age being held back, it's rather exhausting."

Nikola gently rant his pointer finger across the metal.

"Why?" he asked.

"Someone has to look after this place when you and Helen go gallivanting off to god knows where," James sighed again. "I have to pace myself though, I should've thought of that before hitting you."

Nikola chuckled.

"I guess you had good reason, I've done some things that probably deserved it but this time it's different," Nikola said as confidently as he could manage. "Helen has allowed me to do household repairs as long as I don't go overboard with it."

James chuckled slightly.

"Welcome to the old ball and chain Nikola," James buttoned up his shirt and wiped his face.

"Did hitting me help?" asked Nikola

"Surprisingly yes," smirked James. "Very."

"Oh good," Nikola rubbed. "I forget how much of a hard hitter you are."

James chuckled.

"I've been waiting a long time to do that," James shook out his fist. "You said you needed tools?"

Nikola nodded.

"Yah," Nikola nodded.

James went and grabbed the toolkit off one of the further workbenches.

"I expect it back when you're done," said James.

"Of course," nodded Nikola, he took the toolkit from James. "You're sure you're ok?"

"I'll be fine, just a small tweak and I'll be as right as rain," James said dismissively.

"Because I can-"

"Nikola," James warned.

"Sorry, force of habit, it's going to take me a bit to get used to it," Nikola scrubbed a hand over his face. "Nice chatting with you James."

"Any time," James nodded going back to work.

Nikola left with the toolkit to begin fixing the stair feeling the spring return to his step slightly, though it wasn't as light as it was before.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Helen, James and Nikola ate dinner in relative silence.

Helen looked between the two men suspiciously. James had a shiner under his left eye and slight bruising around his knuckles, and Nikola looked no worse for ware except the small line of red on his shirtsleeve. They said nothing except for the elementary pleasantries such as "Could you pass the salt?" "Certainly." "Thank you."

Helen knew they were hiding something but she was hoping that one of them would break before she did.

"More wine, James?" asked Nikola.

"Yes, please," James said curtly.

"What the hell is up with you two?" Helen cried, knowing her plan had come crashing down around her. Neither of them was going to break. "James, where did you get that shiner?" she asked him pointedly.

"A small mishap in my lab," James shrugged cryptically.

"And the blood on your sleeve?" she turned to Nikola.

"Nosebleed," Nikola answered like James.

"And what about your knuckles?" she turned back to James.

"I hit them against something," James answered, not even batting an eyelash.

"You two are awful," she growled.

The two simultaneously burst in into laughter.

"You two are ruddy bloody awful," she tried not to laugh as well.

"It's nothing Helen, James and I just had a heart to heart," Nikola smiled and grasped her hand.

"More like a fist to fist," Helen smirked.

"I had to make sure he was worthy of your hand," James clarified.

"By having him beat you into a pulp?" Helen gave him a look.

"Hey, he threw in some good wallops, it wasn't just me," Nikola defended James.

"Thank you, Nikola," said James.

"Oh you're welcome," said Nikola.

Helen laughed.

"You two are children," she rolled her eyes.

Nikola leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Only with each other," he grinned and squeezed her hand as his eyes darted back to James with a knowing glance.

"Whatever needs to happen for you two to come to some kind of understanding," Helen sighed, she patted James' shoulder.

"And we did," James smiled at her appreciatively. "It's a guy thing."

Helen laughed and sat up.

"Well, I'm going to go do a girl thing and fetch dessert," Helen grasped her near-empty plate.

"No, let me," Nikola stood up. "You've been working all day, just sit and let me take care of it."

Helen looked at him oddly.

"Are you sure?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Positive," he took her plate from her. "I need to start somewhere."

Helen smiled and sat down.

"Very well then," she hand James' plate to him as well. "We'll be waiting."

"I'll only be a short minute," Nikola took the dirty dishes through the dining room to the kitchen. Once he was there he set them down as if they weighed a ton. He wasn't going to admit it to James or Helen, but something about what James said to him was beginning to settle, he'd been stewing over it as he was fixing the stairs.

Would the romance fade? Would he and Helen end up hurting each other more than they had the last time? He remembered their parting that first time; it had nearly destroyed him, and almost ruined his relationship with his best and most loyal friend. What would he do if it happened again?

His mind flashed to John Druitt, his blade; the vial of black liquid that could have been his executioner, and the bloody handwriting sliced into Helen's skin. Then the blade was replaced by his claws, his fangs, the black of his eyes reflecting the black of liquid on the hypodermic that had been held Helen's hands.

He shook the image out of his head.

He wasn't going to think like that because it wasn't ever going to come to that, he loved Helen and he was confident she loved him as well, they survived five years together without incident, they could survive now, even thrive.

He ran his hand through his hair and found the small dessert that Helen had already prepared and ready for serving. He took it and the small plates out to the dining room and placed it on the table.

"Thank you, darling," Helen smiled to him and continued her discussion with James as Nikola served the small brownie type dessert.

He looked at Helen and something in him twinged.

"This was going to work," he told himself.

It had to, for his sake.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

_****_*gasp* What's going to happen?

Don't answer that, I'll answer that for you when I get there.

Ambiguous, yes, but for a reason, you know how I love ambiguous cliffhangers :) It will all be resolved in no time :)


	50. The Giving of Rings (2)

**Chapter 50 - The Giving of Rings (2)**

A week had passed since Helen and Nikola's return from the middle east.

They had fallen into a rhythm together, like they had in Egypt.

They would wake up together in their bed, dress, join James for breakfast, Helen would work, Nikola would go and do odd jobs around the house or occasionally run errands for Helen and James. He'd bring her afternoon tea which they would share in her office, he'd sometimes have a nap on her couch while she did more work, then they would join James in the dining hall for dinner, he'd join James for brandy and wine while Helen finished some odds and ends, then he would escort her back up to their bedroom and they would go to bed.

To say Nikola was bored was an understatement.

He knew Helen was only putting him through this so he could prove that he would love her in the boring times as well as the exciting. After John, he understood that Helen was cautious about giving her heart up again, but the fact he had gotten this far must have meant something.

Nikola sat in bed, reading one of his more favorite books. Helen had the first edition and he had always wanted to steal it for his own.

He wore a pair of black silk pajamas, a gift from Helen to him, which he only wore to please her, and he had a half-drunk glass of wine resting on his nightside table next to some visual reminders of why he was going through this, mostly pictures that reminded him of the life he was going to have once his test was over.

Helen entered from the bathroom in her nightgown, made in a similar material to his pajamas. It looked stunning on her and he did everything he could to ignore it as he stuck his nose further into the book.

Helen climbed into the bed.

"What are you reading?"

"Shakespeare's Othello," he held up the book.

"Really?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You may enjoy Twelfth Night, but if I'm going to read anything by the bard it's this," he smirked.

"Why?" asked Helen.

"I find Iago a very interesting character," said Nikola.

"Isn't he the villain?" Helen gave him a skeptical look.

"On the contrary, I think he's the most layered. The Moor is straight forward, burly, brusque, passionate and possessive. Desdemona is young and innocent, thinks with her heart. Cassio is cut and dry poor sod caught in the middle. Iago is the most intelligent, most guarded, the most controlled and has the most to lose which pushes him to go to the furthest extremes to attain what he desires. He's most fascinating," Nikola turned his gaze back to the book.

"A kindred spirit, perhaps?" Helen teased.

Nikola gave her a look and she chuckled.

"No, because he doesn't succeed, if I ever had such schemes as he did I would do a much better job of seeing them to completion. But I don't yearn for power and control like he does, he's practically driven mad by it," Nikola flipped the page.

"Sounds interesting," Helen smirked.

"It is," he nodded, not looking up from the book. "I love this particular edition the most."

"What makes it different than all the others?" she asked.

"Well none of the words have changed, nor the way they appear on the page, but the history of the printing of this book. It's first edition, great condition, I can almost smell the age and wear off its leather binding, it's quite an experience to hold a book that almost tells a story aside from the one written inside it. You understand?" he asked and Helen nodded.

"I love old books too," she cuddled closer to him and pecked his cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"A reward. It's been a week and you have been an absolute dear," she wrapped her arms around him. "I just thought you would like the encouragement."

Nikola give her a devious smirk.

"Really?" he put the book down finally and Helen rolled her eyes.

"Don't get any ideas," she warned.

Nikola leaned over and kissed her.

"How's that?" he chuckled.

"Mm, I think you're losing your touch," Helen teased and Nikola frowned. "I'm kidding."

"You better, cause if I'm losing it now think how it will be in fifty years from now," he wrapped an arm around her and snuggled close.

"Is that how long you intend to stay?" she asked.

"If you'll let me," he smirked and Helen answered him with another kiss.

Without really thinking both turned off their respective lamps and crawled underneath the covers, lips locked in a passionate embrace.

Helen let loose a giggle as Nikola pulled her under him and broke the kiss.

"You started it," he accused.

Helen just laughed and pulled him back to her.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon out in the London Gardens.

Helen normally didn't bother with social parties unless she had to, to keep her standing and reputation in society. This time she gladly accepted the invitation for tea in the gardens. It would give her the opportunity to show off her new fiancé.

Helen was dressed appropriately in a light summer gown that covered her shoulders, to Nikola's disappointment. Nikola was dressed in one of his more dapper suits that complimented her gown nicely, his hair slicked back and his face cleanly shaved to her liking.

They arrived promptly on time, arm-in-arm, to the tea party.

"I haven't been to a tea party in years," Nikola commented.

"I seem to remember you protested them greatly," Helen teased. "You'd just sit in the corner and pout, at one point we just stopped inviting you."

"And I'm so very glad you did," Nikola smirked.

"You're not going to pout this time, are you?" she asked.

"Certainly not, I'm here for you, my love," he turned to her and smiled. "I will do my best to uphold your name and reputation by being the future mister of your household, and father of your children."

Helen laughed.

"Really?" Helen scoffed.

"It's implied, they think what's the point of marriage if you're not going to make babies," shrugged Nikola.

"Ah, so making babies is..."

"Only if you want to," Nikola smirked. "I wouldn't mind the effort."

Helen scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Maybe in 10 years we'll talk about it," Helen sighed.

"You think we won't kill each other by then?" Nikola teased.

"If we won't then, maybe we'll be ready for children," Helen laughed. "To be honest I don't think I've got the maternal chops to be a mother."

"I'd make an excellent father," Nikola grinned smugly.

"To an army of chimpanzees, maybe," Helen teased and laughed as Nikola visibly deflated.

"Why isn't the great detective joining us?" asked Nikola.

"Somebody has to watch over the Sanctuary," sighed Helen. "Besides, I wanted I show you off."

Nikola smirked.

"Then show away," he gestured dramatically and Helen dragged him further into the party.

"Oh Dr. Magnus," came up a flagrant man, holding out his hand to Helen's. "It has seemed nearly an eternity since you had last joined us for tea in the gardens."

Helen took his hand and allowed him to kiss the top of hers as Nikola watched protectively.

"I've been away for awhile, on business," Helen smiled. "But it's nice to see you Claude."

Claude straightened up and gave her a cheeky grin.

"I've heard from the lovely James, you've been in Egypt treasure hunting, you must tell me all about it, but first, you must introduce me to this handsome specimen attached to your arm," Claude turned his attentions from Helen to Nikola and smiled at him. Nikola felt instantly at unease.

"This is my new fiancé, I picked him up in Egypt," Helen teased Nikola. "Claude meet Javor Dragoslav."

"Ooh a foreigner, charmed," Claude held out his hand for Nikola to shake. Nikola took it and shook Claude's hand only out of social grace.

"I guess you could call me that," he shrugged.

"Oh, an American," Claude nearly sniffed his nose up.

"Not by birth, he's actually of Serbian decent," interceded Helen and Claude softened again.

"Oh, how excellent," Claude was about to say something more when another couple caught his attention and he drifted away.

"What was that?" asked Nikola turning to watch the incredible fop go.

"He's half French with an over bearing mother and an elderly father, plus he's the youngest of 6," Helen reasoned.

"Oh, so he's..."

"A brilliant lawyer, despite his demeanor and appearance."

"He defends criminals?"

"Hardly, he works more with wills and estates, quite charming once you get used to him," Helen shrugged.

"Ah," Nikola smirked.

"Come on, let's keep showing you off," Helen chuckled.

"Oh, joy."

Helen laughed and tugged Nikola further into the crowd. He was soon met with hands and stories, and tons and tons of questions. At one point he and Helen were separated and he was forced to engage in idle chitchat by himself. He had one cup of tea and then thought against having another, and sadly, he had more fun than he thought he would. Especially when he met Edgar, a man there who could actually have a conversation with him at his level. It was refreshing to be able to talk science without having to explain the actual science.

Nikola half thought he had made a friend in the middle-aged, tall, London-born, politician.

"I wanted to be a scientist when I was younger, quite passionately in fact, I saw such purpose in it, and such scope, I thought certainly I could change the world with a career like that. Unfortunately, my father had other plans, but I've always kept abreast with the current studies and discoveries. Call it a hobby," sighed Edgar.

"My father wanted me to become a priest," Nikola chuckled. "A job I was not suited for in the least."

"No, you sound too intelligent for that kind of work, a good mind like yours needs to be put to good practical work," said Edgar. "I guess I lucked out in life. Politics, though not ideal was well-suited. I shan't complain."

"Me neither," Nikola's eyes darted away to see if he could catch a glimpse of Helen in the crowd.

"When something is important to you though, it's hard to keep it off the mind," continued Edgar.

"Indeed," Nikola turned back and grinned slightly.

"Sometimes priorities change though," Edgar gave Nikola a knowing grin. "Something tells me you have more than science on your mind."

Nikola looked down a bit sheepishly.

"I've been a scientist a long time, I think it's time for a sabbatical," said Nikola.

"Really?" asked Edgar.

The two of them walked through the gardens as they continued to talk.

"As you said, priorities change, I've done my part for science for now, time to try another skill set."

"Marriage? Can't you work as you always have and also marry?" asked Edgar.

"For her? No, she requires all my attention right now," sighed Nikola.

"Dr. Magnus doesn't seem the type. Why?"

"Because she knows how focused I can get when I'm working, I think she wants me just to handle one priority right now, until we're married, and maybe until we've had a bit of time together as a couple, and then priorities can shift again," Nikola reasoned.

"I couldn't wait that long, doesn't it drive you mad?" asked Edgar. "Doesn't your mind just constantly swim with ideas. Life changing, world-altering ideas. I mean, how can you stop it?"

"I...I don't know," Nikola dry swallowed. "I guess you just have to choose what's important to you."

"What? Tea parties and hob-nobbing?" chuckled Edgar.

"You do it," shrugged Nikola.

"I do it because I have to do it, not because I want to, and at the end of the day my wife still let's me play around how I want," Edgar smirked, when he heard his name and excused himself leaving Nikola in a state of speechlessness.

Edgar was right, his mind was spinning with ideas, it never stopped, he never stopped wondering, but he always quelched those thoughts with thoughts of Helen and their future together. The future that was just in his grasp. But now his mind had been broken open like a dam and his thoughts came spilling out in great and tremendous detail, his hands began to fumble slightly as if desperately in search for a pen and his right eye twitched slightly as he fought it.

"Nikola!" Helen's voice cut through the din of his mind and he looked towards her.

"Coming!" he called to her with a small wave. She smiled widely and turned back to the small group she was with.

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

It was worth it for that smile, he said to himself.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola wandered through the dark halls of the Sanctuary. Sleep was eluding him this night, and he had left his warm place next to Helen to wander aimlessly. He didn't feel right, he felt sick, nauseous, almost queezy. His hands shook slightly and he clenched them into fists to control it. He hadn't felt like this since he first turned.

A panic washed over him. When had he last taken his medication, oddly enough he couldn't remember. Maybe he was feeling the withdrawal.

In a hurry he ran down to the kitchen to find something to possibly quelch his hunger. A raw steak possibly, that would have enough blood in it to sustain him till he could get his medication, at worst he could head out into the streets and find a dog or cat to eat. He cringed at the thought, but if it had to be done it had to be done.

He reached the kitchen, now breaking out into an all-out sweat. His hands were shaking uncontrollably now, his heart and head pounded. He tore through the kitchen to the refrigerator, one of those new fangled food cooling systems. He vowed he'd take it apart one day to discover its inner workings, and he wondered if a similar system would help in James' chest plate. He shook his head, and opened the door. It was empty.

He growled, and slammed the door. Maybe there was something in the pantry. Anything.

He ran to the pantry door and pulled it open. He blinked as what he saw was not the inside of the pantry, but a desert. He recognized it immediately.

It was there oasis.

He stepped through, scrubbing a hand through his hair in confusion.

How could this be?

"Nikola!" he heard his name being called through the wind.

It was coming from inside the tent.

Nikola took a hesitant step forward and approached the tent slowly.

As he kept getting nearer and nearer to the tent he could hear something going on inside.

His name was called again, but it had a much different intonation than he had first thought.

Nikola swallowed and reached for the tent flaps, hesitantly pulling them open.

She was there, wrapped around another mans form, crying out in glorious rapture. Nikola was stuck still, frozen in shock.

She uttered his name again and confusion flooded him once again.

The other man's back was to him, his face buried in the crook of her neck and obscured from his view. Everything in Nikola's body seemed to twist.

She let out a glorious sound that slithered over him and caused him to shiver.

"Helen," Nikola managed to gasp and her eyes opened.

They were fearful and it shocked him.

"Nikola!" she cried. "Help me!"

She let out a bloodcurdling cry, and he heard the most gut-wrenching sickening sound hit his ears.

She fell away, unconscious or dead, and Nikola's heart stopped momentarily.

The man stepped back from her limp body.

"Helen!" Nikola shouted again.

There was no answer except for a laugh coming from the man.

"What did you do to her?" Nikola growled.

The man stepped back and then slowly turned around. Blue-grey eyes met blood black eyes and fangs, twisted into an evil grin. His evil grin.

Nikola's eyes widened as he looked at his vampire self and the blood smeared down his chin and dripping down his neck and from his claws.

"What you always knew I would," the vampire snarled with a cruel sneer.

He stepped aside and Nikola saw Helen's dead and bloody form lying ahead of him and everything began screaming in Nikola's head./

/Nikola snapped awake, a gasp escaping him as he sat up. His hair stuck up at odd ends and gleamed with sweat and his breath came in heavy, loud pants.

He couldn't think about where he was, who he was, or what he was, all he could see was that image of Helen in his dream. His nightmare more like.

Helen rolled over beside him and mumbled something in her sleep and Nikola was brought back to reality.

Relief washed over him and he scrubbed a hand over his face as he leaned over and placed a kiss on the most prominently exposed region of bare skin he could find. He kissed her shoulder gently and then sat up again and let out another sigh.

These nightmares were getting worse.

He got out of bed and went to the window and opened the latch. He inhaled some of the fresh air before closing it again.

He didn't even need sleep all that much, he only did it so he could be close to Helen.

He sighed, well he was up now. He might as well grab a glass of wine and enjoy a book in the study.

He grabbed a slip of paper from Helen's desk and wrote her a message so she wouldn't panic if she awoke and he wasn't there.

He dressed in a light white oxford shirt, and a pair of comfortable trousers and a matching vest which he left unbuttoned.

He silently made his way through the halls to the wine cellar. He picked up a bottle of merlot, he didn't really care the vintage, Helen rarely had a shoddy wine in her cellar.

He found a comfortable chair in the library and made himself at home with all the books. He found the first edition of Othello and the page he had folded down as a marking place and continued to read it.

He was partially through a page when a thought struck him. His conversation with Edgar that afternoon. He shook his head. No he loved Helen and this was his chance to prove that he was worthy of it. His work was a small sacrifice to his eternal happiness. He was going to show Helen that he was the man she deserved and he was going to show James that he wasn't a coward.

His hand twitched slightly and he stretched it, holding back the thoughts, the insatiable ideas always running through his mind, begging to be written down.

Like James' machine, he wondered all the ways he could make it more efficient, make it do more and take less so that James could live out his life in relative comfort. The shield around the Sanctuary, the weapons, the security, it could all be improved for Helen.

He saw a pad of paper lying on the desk and Nikola looked at it for a long moment.

No, he was not going to be Iago, so close to everything he wants yet screws it up because of one oversight.

He put his book down and drank a hefty sip of his wine.

He won't invent, he'll just draw out some plans, that's it, he'll just draw out some plans and then put them away and he'll take them out when he's ready. Just a few sketches or ideas to improve the Sanctuary for Helen and for James, like a wedding present.

He felt his hand twitch again.

What was he doing? He made a promise and he was going to keep it.

He turned away again.

It was just a sketch, a small sketch, hardly significant, just some ideas to put out of his head and save for later. Helen would understand that, right?

He turned back to the pad of paper and grabbed a pencil. He hesitated just as he brought the tip to the paper. If Helen caught him he'd be finished.

That alone should've been enough for him to put the pencil down and run back upstairs into bed with her and wait out this frenzy knowing that it would pass once he remembered why he was doing this and who he was doing this for. But he didn't, he touched the pencil to the pad and was soon lost in it.

By the time he had managed to stop himself it was nearly dawn and he gathered up all his sketches and tucked them into a case and hid them under the bed and crawled back in beside Helen.

She stirred.

"Nikola," she groaned sleepily. "Where'd you go?"

She turned to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I couldn't sleep, I went and read in the library," he said, it was the truth, partially.

"Oh," she leaned closer to him.

"I left a note for you," he said.

"I didn't see it," she mumbled sleepily.

"It's not important right now," he held her close.

Helen fell asleep shortly after and he sighed, remaining cuddled to her.

This wasn't ever going to happen again. This was a slip, a brief relapse in judgement, a one-time inquelchable urge. He would keep those sketches under the bed, or someplace even more secure and when he needed them he would take them out and show them to her. Once they were married and it was appropriate.

He kissed her cheek gently.

He wasn't going to screw this up, he wasn't going to...

_**~~~~April 1923~~~~**_

3 weeks after their return from Egypt.

Nikola realized there was a problem. More often than not he found himself in the library at night, sketching, planning, puzzling by lamplight. Each night for the past week he couldn't help it, he just had to add a few more equations, change a few more dimensions, just one more sketch after one more sketch.

Each night he earnestly would go to bed with Helen in his arms, snooze all of an hour sometimes less, sometimes more, he would try to force himself to stay but he always compelled himself back into the library, sketching.

He always left a note for Helen, in case she awoke again, but he kept an ear to the door just in case.

It was maddening. It was maddening when he couldn't do it because then he was riddled and plagued with thoughts and ideas, and it was maddening when he did it because he knew he was backing away from his promise. He chose her over this yet here it was calling him back like an old mistress he just couldn't let go of.

In the day he managed to keep the urge down quite well. Helen kept him occupied with small things around the house, occasionally she needed help filing, sometimes she went on break...those were his favorite times.

He did love being her fiancé, and being the man who escorted her to parties, who sat next to her at tea time, who wrapped his arms around her at night, he loved it more than he would admit. But when she was asleep his second love came creeping into their perfect world to pull him back and like an disloyal man he followed its beckoning.

Nikola heard a sound and quickly shoved all his papers into their case and hid it and pulled out his book.

The door to the library opened and Helen entered. His Helen. Her hair was tousled from sleep, and she wore her robe over her nightgown.

"Can't sleep again?" she asked.

"No," he sighed.

"It's almost the fifth night in a row, what's going on, Nikola?" Helen came up to him and pushed the hair from his face.

"Nightmares," he sighed again. "And I don't need sleep really most nights I just hold you and lie still, but lately...I haven't the patience for it," shrugged Nikola. "I didn't want to disturb you with my restlessness."

Helen smirked and pulled the book out of his hands.

"Othello again?" she asked.

"What can I say? I enjoy it," he sighed.

"How many books have you read?" she asked.

"A few actually," Nikola smirked. "I just keep coming back to this one."

Helen looked at the page he was at.

"I see," she frowned at the book for a moment then gently put it down. "Well I think Othello can have a break for a moment. I can think of a much better remedy for sleep than reading."

Helen crawled on to Nikola's lap.

"Plus, I missed you," Helen teased and kissed him.

"For fifteen minutes?" Nikola asked and Helen swatted him.

"You know what I mean, I've had my precious cuddle time cut short as of late because of your insomnia and I think you should make it up to me."

Nikola chuckled with the insinuation.

"I'm sorry, are you feeling neglected?" he teased, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"What do you think?" she leaned down and kissed him before nestling down on to his chest and resting her face over his heart.

Nikola chuckled and held her against him gently.

"What's going on in your head? You only get this way when something is troubling you," sighed Helen.

"It's nothing, it's just my head, recently hasn't managed to stay quiet, it's just full, I've just been trying to silence it," he sighed. "It's not use to this much inactivity."

Helen laughed.

"You miss it don't you?" she asked.

"Miss what?" he looked down at her.

"Your work," Helen answered him.

"Oh that. I mean, I'm not used to not having it but to say I miss it...I don't know. It's just a hobby compared to you," he rested his forehead against hers. "I could spend my entire life doing this."

Helen brought a hand to his temple and rubbed it gently.

He closed his eyes at the gesture.

"Come back upstairs, I'll distract your thoughts for a while," Helen kissed the side of his head.

"Alright, I'll just put my book away and I'll meet you up there," he smiled and Helen nodded, getting up off his lap.

"I'll be waiting," Helen kissed his hand and then headed to the door.

Nikola sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face.

Helen turned back for a moment to see him hunched over the table with the book lying flat on top of it. Looking like something was washing over him. It struck her still and she watched as a huge weight seemed to slowly lower itself on to him. Then he shook it off and put the book away.

Helen darted out of the room as silently as she could and went upstairs as quickly as she could. She reached the bedroom before he did and he entered looking a little weary but still bearing his grin.

Helen smiled back to him, sitting on the bed.

"Come here," she instructed and he did so.

He stumbled his way over and crawled to his knees in front of her. She pushed his cowlick out of her way and cupped his face.

She kissed him gently. He kissed back just as tenderly. His hands went to either side of her as he pushed himself further on to his knees, pushing further into the kiss.

His arms twisted around her waist lightly, just brushing her skin, as if she'd break of he held on too tightly.

Helen was the first to break the kiss, taking in a long gasp. She rested her head on his shoulder and kissed it gently.

"Helen, I..."

"Yes, Nikola?" Helen shuddered and pulled back to look at him.

"I..." he finished his thought by kissing her again.

He pushed her further on to the bed, kissing with a renewed fervor...and desperation/

/Helen awoke to find herself alone again.

It was still nighttime. Barely a few hours before dawn. Nikola wasn't beside her, nor had he left her a note.

She sat up and looked around. Something wasn't right, and she knew it. She grabbed her robe and put it on.

Out of nervousness she twisted the ring on her finger, the beautiful ring Nikola had given her as an engagement ring.

She didn't need a note to know where he was or what he was doing.

She descended the stairs to find him in the library.

She was as quiet as possible.

He didn't even flinch when she came in, she doubted that she heard him at all.

She watched him, drawing and sketching frantically, the sweat dripping off his forehead, like a fever.

Lying on the chair he usually sat was the first edition of Othello. Helen lifted it up, careful not to even make a rustle.

She looked down at the page and then put it back down.

She sat down as a wave of disappointment, or maybe even heartbreak washed over her.

She brought a hand to her head and rested her forehead in it.

Nikola paused, as if sensing her grief. He spun around and looked at her with fear in his eyes.

"Helen," he gasped. "I can explain."

"I know Nikola," she sighed. She felt heavy all of the sudden.

"It's just sketches Helen, things in my head I'm just trying to put out of my head for later, that's all it is," he came up to her, and kneeled, grasping her hands tightly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "Why did you feel you had to keep it from me?"

Nikola swallowed.

"I don't know, I...I thought, I don't know what I thought," he sighed. "It was only going to be a few drawings and that was it."

"Nikola, I have never located you're inventing, that is not the point. The point was I want you to be honest with me, I wanted you to come to me with these feelings or these doubts. Trust in me a little. Not sweep it under the rug like always Nikola. You will always keep your inner workings to yourself."

Nikola looked down.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"Yes it will, Nikola," Helen sighed. "You are a man of habit, you are too used to controlling every small aspect of your world. I can't live like that."

Nikola's heart sunk. He'd blown it.

"I understand," he released her hands and dropped his gaze once again.

"I don't doubt that there's apart of you that cares for me, but you don't love me, Nikola," his gaze shot up at that. "You love me when you have nothing better to do than to love me."

"Helen, how can you think that?" he looked up to her.

"You have done everything but say the words Nikola, I love you, you haven't looked into my eyes and said those words to me. I have asked and you have said yes, but that's not the same. Something in you can't do it," she stood up and he followed her. "And I don't think you'll ever truly mean it until you do."

"Helen, I...I," he stuttered. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, it's neither of ours, in fact it's a good thing this happened now before anything else. We were perfect in Egypt, we loved each other in Egypt, but in the end ten or fifty years from now, we would've hated each other in the end. You would've hated me for taking away your work, I would've hated you for putting your work above me. It's just not meant to be this time, Nikola."

Nikola nodded.

"How did you...how did you know?" he asked.

"Your book, you kept it at the same page the last few times I checked," she sighed.

Nikola looked at the book lying on the chair, mentally cursing himself.

"I really did try this time," he sighed going to pick it up.

"I know."

"I really intended to stay," he flipped the book open.

"I know."

"Are we at least still friends?" he asked. "If we put this behind us, can we at least be that?"

Helen smiled and pecked his cheek.

"If you keep in touch," she teased. "You are always going to be my friend, Nikola."

Nikola nodded.

"Alright then," he cleared his throat slightly. "I should probably leave before morning...I don't think I could face James at breakfast."

Helen chuckled slightly.

"Will you at least tell him it was a mutual agreement, just leave out all this please," sighed Nikola.

Helen nodded.

"Of course," she nodded.

"It's a good thing, I can go back to my hotel, my birds. I wonder if that white one is still there. She was my favorite," Nikola chuckled, looking down at his hands.

Suddenly a glint of something sparkly brought his gaze back up to him.

"I'm sorry, Nikola," Helen placed the ring back in his hands, and of all that had happened, this hurt the most.

Nikola stared down at the ring, a part of him twisting at the sight of it.

"No, what's to be sorry about, we tried to hold on to an ideal and we couldn't, doesn't change who we are or what we mean to each other," Nikola dismissed it and put the ring into his pocket, still not making eye contact with her.

"You will write, won't you?" asked Helen.

"Always, of course, this isn't the last you've seen of me or Javor Dragoslav, Helen Magnus," he chuckled. "It's the end of an era."

With that he kissed her soundly and briefly before walking away.

She watched him leave knowing he was going up to her room, collecting what little of his stuff he had, he would go, find an inn for the evening and leave on the first boat to New York. That was what he did. It was what she half-expected him to do.

She gave him the space. They hard parted on good enough terms an she wasn't going to make it an issue.

When she reached her bedroom after she had heard him leave she found the bed made all neatly, everything as or had been before he had come in. On his side of the bed he left a note.

"We'll always have our Oasis."

It was enough to allow a tear to slip past her facade. She curled onto the bed and places her arms on his side as if he was still there, closed her eyes and wept until she fell asleep.

When morning came life went on just as it had before, and then soon the whole engagement became a blur. Sometimes she'd be asked, where's that fiancé of yours and she think back on it with a fond sadness.

She never looked to find that a certain first edition copy of a book had gone missing.

And every once in a while she'd get a letter from a friend asking: "Miss me yet?"

That always made her roll her eyes.

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Yay! 200,000 words! I've written this many words for this fic alone! I call that an accomplishment :) What do you think?

I made this let down a little less heart being ripped out of chest , though Nikola is a little on the disheartened side. He and Helen couldn't have a huge blow up over it, it didn't seem right we already had that. They just sweep it under the rug and then it just adds to Nikola and Helen's banter.

I worked it in that, if you recall Tesla's first episode when he says I love you, Helen does a double take, and that's because of this exchange, that was what i was implying. Some more fun to come. I hope you guys aren't aching too bad, it was not my intention, i promise i'm not sitting here plotting on how to drive you guys crazy...much.

:) ANYWAYs! Reviews are love. I'm hoping by the time this fic is done i'll have 300, it's a personal achievement if achievable, but all reviews are welcome and bring a little warm fuzzy feeling to my heart. Hope you guys aren't melting like I am :P


	51. Her Serbian Gentleman

**Chapter 51 - Her Serbian Gentleman**

_**~~~~Fall 1924~~~~**_

Why he was here, he didn't know.

Possibly because she asked him to be in the sweetest way possible; he still had her letter tucked in his breast pocket over his heart.

Maybe he missed her, it had been at least 20 years since he last saw her, maybe more; she would be a completely different woman now.

His hand trembled as he took another hesitant step to the door.

Why was he going to say? He hadn't aged a day in 50 years, he was going to look exactly as she remembered, how would she take that? He could claim he was his son and that his father was too ill to make the trip, or he could just tell her in full honesty what he was, what he's always been.

He knocked on the old oak door. It opened a moment later.

"Ah, you must be Tesla, the man mylady's been expecting," said the old butler.

"How is she?" Nikola asked with concern in his tone.

"She was feeling faint this morning, she's been resting all day, waiting for you, she said she wasn't sure you'd arrive, granted I thought you'd be older," the butler closed the door behind him.

"Is it alright for me to...to go in and see her?" Nikola asked nervously.

"If anything it's probably the best thing for her," sighed the butler. "This way."

"How long?" asked Nikola as they walked up the grand staircase.

"The Baron died about 5 years ago. A stroke, it was very sudden, she was left in a depression for weeks. All she ever talked about was you and wanting to see you but how you were too busy and wouldn't come. She held off writing that letter until now."

"Did she and the Baron ever have any children?" asked Nikola as they made it to the landing.

"No, they never did. It turned out the Baron couldn't father children, poor swimmers apparently, and they once considered adoption but by that time both were too weary from disappointment that thy decided to give up on that dream and enjoy each others company."

"When did she quit the stage?" Nikola asked, they rounded a corner in the massive house.

"When he died, she couldn't bear to go onstage without him in the audience, it broke her heart."

"Why me? Why does she want to see me? We haven't seen each other in years," Nikola stopped, the trembling in his hands was starting again.

"If you ask me she knows her time is limited and wants to spend some time with the important people in her life. She doesn't have the Baron, but from her stories you were 2nd best."

"I didn't bring her flowers," groaned Nikola. "She's going to notice that."

The butler chuckled.

"I think she has plenty," he kept walking until he reached a grande set of double doors. "Wait here."

He went inside the room for what felt like ages before he came back out.

"She's waiting for you sir," said the butler.

"Thank you," Nikola said sincerely.

"I have chores to attend to, so I'll leave you two alone," the butler smiled kindly and then hobbled off.

Nikola inhaled deeply, calming himself before reaching for the handle of the door.

The door opened with a small creak and Nikola peered in. He couldn't see much through the crack so he steeled himself once more and entered, quietly and tentatively.

There she was, sleeping on the bed. Her hair was grey and her face displayed her age, but he could see the young woman he ha met all those years ago behind the wrinkles.

Rose.

He moved to her bedside and shifted a stray lock of silver hair from her face, causing her to stir.

Her frail old hands grasped his and brought it down to her cheek.

"Mmmm," she mumbled as he caressed her cheek.

"Hello Rose," he whispered.

"You've lost your accent," she muttered, her voice aged and ragged.

"I haven't been Serbian in a long time," he chuckled.

"But you feel the same," she released his hand and he retracted it from her face. "You came, I wasn't sure you'd come."

"I came, just as you asked, how could I not," sighed Nikola.

Rose opened her eyes and looked at him for a tense second.

"My god," she gasped. "You haven't changed a bit."

She slowly sat up and gestured for him to kneel before her as she examined him.

"Exactly how I left you," she ran a hand through his hair, looking for anything, a streak of grey, a wrinkle, something that could denote his age. "But the papers?"

"A hired man, someone paid to pretend to be me but older, oddly enough he doesn't mind looking after my pigeons," Nikola chuckled and she did as well. The sound of her age pained him a little.

"How is this possible?" she asked him.

"You won't believe me if I explain it to you," he shook his head.

"Then show me," she coaxed.

"Rose, it's not that simple," he sighed.

"Ah, there it is!" she cried grasping his head. "Your eyes, your eyes give away your years."

She caressed his cheek and he leaned into the touch, nuzzling her hand lightly.

"Show me, Nikki," she said sternly to him. "I promise you I can't run away, not with these hips."

Nikola chuckled dryly.

"All right," he sighed and let himself morph into his vampiric form, careful not to let his talons hurt her. When he opened his eyes he was not met with fear as he half expected.

"My god Nikola, you're a," she ran her fingers gently over one talon.

"A vampire, have been for quite some time now," he said in his deep unnatural tone.

"I never imagined this," she sighed, her fingers moving from his claws to his mouth, gently over the teeth and then to his cheeks as she looked into his eyes. "You have been keeping secrets from me all this time."

She smiled and watched him morph back.

"I've forgotten how unphasable you are," he chuckled.

"I have an open mind," Rose snickered but then began to cough. Nikola sprung into action to help lay her against the pillows and cover her with the blanket. "Thank you, darling."

He took her hand and kissed it gently.

"You didn't bring me flowers," she noted and he laughed.

"I was so nervous I forgot," he sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I remember, every opening night, there'd be my Serbian gentleman with a bouquet of roses and that smile of his, waiting for me in the lobby," she sighed in the fond memories. "Of course after that anything you did was far from gentlemanly, you animal."

Nikola felt himself blush slightly, she was still the woman he had met all those years ago.

"I missed you, Nikki," she sighed.

"I missed you too," he sighed. "I'm glad that you have had such a good life."

"It has been a good time. I met Eddie, and he allowed me to have the life I wanted, and I gave him my companionship and love in return. We were quite the pair, he and I. Always at parties, dances, festivals. He was an excellent dancer and played the piano like a maestro. We were like a song and dance act everywhere we went," she smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Nikola grasped her hand gently.

"Me too, he was a good man and a fantastic husband, and not that bad of a shag either."

Nikola spluttered slightly.

"Rose!" he admonished.

"Well, he was! I mean he wasn't you, you were an excellent shag," she teased. "Always up for anything and never afraid to have a woman on top."

Nikola sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"I see the Baron wasn't able to tame that tongue of yours," he teased.

"No, in fact he encouraged it," she grinned mischievously.

Nikola laughed again.

"You haven't changed, physically yes, but you are still the same woman underneath it all," he smiled.

"You haven't changed either," she squeezed his hand.

"Oh yes I have, maybe not in appearance but...I'm not as hopeful as I once was," he looked down at his shoes.

"How is Helen?" asked Rose inquisitively.

"She's fine, hasn't aged a day either," he shrugged.

"She's a vampire as well?" asked Rose.

"No, but she is different, her blood has certain properties in it that cause her to age very slowly," sighed Nikola.

"Fascinating," gasped Rose.

"She's back in London, doing whatever she does," sighed Nikola, still keeping his gaze down.

"You and she never..."

"Nope," he shook his head.

"Shame. I was hoping by this time you two would be married," she sighed.

"Almost but, I...I screwed it up," he felt his heart tighten slightly.

"Tell me, Nikola," her hand touched his arm gently.

"We were engaged and it didn't work out, not much more to know," he sighed.

"I'm dying, Nikola," Rose said suddenly, catching him by surprise. "And I want my last act on earth to ensure that you are happy. Will you ever be happy, Nikki?"

Nikola didn't know what came over him, he just started crying.

"I don't know Rosy, I don't know" he sobbed, collapsing into her embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and soothingly began to sing to him as he cried into her lap. One hand stroked his hair and the other made lazy circles over his back.

"Stay with me for awhile Nikki, just a few days, I have a feeling you haven't been taken care of in a long time," she said with a softness in her voice that he couldn't describe. "Don't have to worry, Nikki, just stay here and I'll look after you."

With his tears drying his weary eyes began closing gently. He fell asleep with his head in her lap. Rose wiped a small tear from her eyes.

Her Serbian was broken, and she had to fix him before she set him free.

_**~~~~Summer 1892~~~~**_

The curtain fell on the last encore and the last flower fell on the stage at her feet, she had scooped as many as she could gratefully before chancing a look at his usual seat, third box to the left. Empty. Again.

She felt her smile falter slightly but she didn't let it get to her and brightened up again to give one last wave to her appreciative audience before turning and exiting the stage.

She handed the flowers to her understudy and friend and pressed her hands to her temples.

"Wonderful job, Rose, you were spectacular," said the young woman, Emily was her name.

"Thank you, Em," she sighed. "I felt a bit tired this evening."

"It didn't show in your voice, that's for sure," Emily smiled encouragingly.

"No, but I felt it," Rose sighed again.

"It's your gentleman friend, isn't it?" asked Emily following behind Rose. "You've been saving his box every evening this week and he hasn't arrived."

Rose laughed dryly. She forgot how perceptive the young girl was.

"He's a busy man these days, it won't be the first show he misses and it definitely won't be the last. He's a genius and that's his first priority," Rose made it to her dressing room and sat down heavily.

"Still, I see how you miss him being in the audience watching you," Emily took the flowers and set them in a vase on one of the tables in Rose's room.

"When he's attentive he can be the most exhilarating man alive, unfortunately he's had to place his focus elsewhere for the moment," Rose smiled sweetly and saw a card placed on her desk. She held it up for Emily to see. "See? He's still thinking of me."

Rose took out the card and smiled at the neatly written calligraphy, she would know his hand anywhere.

_"Can't make it tonight, something's come up. You're going to be brilliant!"_

_~ Nikola_

"Simple but elegant," sighed Rose.

A knock came from the door.

"Could you answer that Em, I'm just going to change out of this frock," Rose stood up from the vanity, sticking the card securely in the crack between the frame and the mirror next to a photo of her in a dramatic poise, and a picture of her and her Serbian gentleman dressed in costume. It was taken at a party they had attended several months ago and she absolutely adored it. She considered it good luck.

Rose went behind the sheer to start changing when Emily came back.

"Rose, there's a man outside who wants to see you," the girl chattered excitedly.

"Is it?" asked Rose but Emily shook her head.

"No, it's someone different," Emily nearly jumped with excitement.

"Give me two minutes and I'll see him for myself," Rose quickly switched out of her heavy dress and into a lighter, flowy gown, before heading to the door and opening it.

The young man was about her age, possibly a bit younger, about 5'8" with blonde hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. He was very cute in Rose's mind.

"Yes?" asked Rose.

He held out a flower for her.

"My name is Edmund, Edmund Lawrence Triton the third," he said shyly.

She took the flower and smiled at him.

"The Third, huh?" she smirked at him. "The third what?"

"Third Baron of some estate down in Winchester, apparently," he shrugged and smiled. Very cute, Rose decided.

"And what can I do for you, Baron Edmund Lawrence Triton the third?" asked Rose.

"I was wondering, perhaps, if you'd like to accompany me to dinner?" he asked very sweetly and Rose couldn't help but be intrigued.

"I haven't any plans," she smiled at him and grabbed her hat and coat off the rack, tugging them on gracefully. "I'd be delighted."

"Really, oh good," he rocked back and forth on his heels shyly and Rose just want to pinch him, he was so cute.

She took his arm and they walked out the door of the theatre.

"Now tell me, Baron Triton," she started.

"Oh, uh, Edmund," he interceded politely.

"Alright, Edmund," she smiled again at him. "Are you any good at cards?"

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

It was late, around midnight, but his light was on, as she had suspected it would be.

She paid the driver a few coins then took the key out of her clutch, the key he had given to her.

The door unlocked with ease, and the smell of wine filled her nostrils upon instant. He would be drinking, though she never could quite figure out how she'd never seen him drunk, especially for such a slender man that he was.

She thought about knocking but decided it would be a waste of time and just went in. He never locked the upper door.

There he was, neck deep in work, as always.

His back was to her and she could just see the half full wine glass resting next to his left hand.

His hair was fully ruffled and sticking up at odd angles and his clothes looked particularly ragged.

Her Serbian gentleman.

"Fancy seeing you here," her lips curled into a smirk when he physically jerked at the sound of her voice.

"You got my note, I'm assuming," he didn't turn to her, but made a quick fix to his personal appearance. "I'm sorry I didn't make it to the show, I've just been so busy. George has me working my tail off trying to get everything sorted for this blasted fair. I have a year and a half of prep and that still doesn't seem like enough. These blasted light bulbs are killing me."

"You spurned me for a few light bulbs?" Rose accused teasingly.

"A few hundred thousand light bulbs, yes," grumbled Nikola. "Edison's bulbs are useless heaps of cheap glass and wire that result in power waisting, money gulping, mounds of dissatisfaction. At this rate we'll have to change every bulb at least three times before the fair is out. That means ordering three times as much as we should, and instead of dealing with 1 hundred thousand bulbs, we're dealing with 3 hundred thousand bulbs and a ton of money going down the drain. And it's not my power. No, my power is as efficient as it can be with these shoddy bulbs, it's Edison, screwing with me, completely and utterly screwing me over!"

Rose chuckled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I don't find this very funny," he mumbled.

"Of course not," she smiled and kissed the back of his neck, loving the way he groaned slightly. "Sounds to me like you need a distraction."

"Not really, no, I really should be working on this," he sighed, not really relenting her hold on him.

"Yes, but I can tell you're in need of a break," her hands slid to his belt and began undoing it.

"No," his hands came to her gently. "Not tonight."

He stepped out of her embrace and grabbed his wine glass, swigging the rest of its contents down.

Rose felt a bit slighted by him but shook it off and moved to the fireplace to put a log on the slowly dying fire.

"I met someone today," she said casually.

"Really?" he came back into the room with a second glass for her and poured her some wine.

"Yes, a very sweet man," she nodded, poking at the fire absently.

"Agent or producer?" asked Nikola.

"Neither," she smirked slightly. "He's a baron."

"Oh, a baron you say," he said as he walked over to her to hand her the glass.

"Yes, I think he's got a bit of a crush," she grinned.

"How old is he?" asked Nikola. "Young or old?"

"Young, not much older than us, cutest little grin, absolutely baby-faced, you'd just want to squeeze him," she teased and he took a sip of his wine.

"I doubt it," he shook his head and she laughed.

"He says he wants to see me again," she looked back to the fire.

"You slept with him?" Nikola gave her a look.

"No! He's practically virginal, I couldn't possibly, not like you. He and I had dinner this evening since I figured you'd be working and we talked, it was nice," she smiled fondly.

"Do I hear a hint of whimsy in your voice my dear Rose?" Nikola asked and Rose laughed.

"He's like a breath of fresh air, Nikki, like a summer shower, so fresh faced and sweet," she smiled inwardly a little. "It's nice."

"What am I? Too stale and dusty for you?" he teased. "Am I becoming old hat?"

Rose turned to him and smiled.

"You could never become old hat, Nikki," she went up to him and kissed him. "He's just a pleasant substitute for your company."

She noticed his belt was still unbuckled, he hadn't bothered with it and she shook her head.

"I should go, you're busy," she sighed putting her glass down. "I just wanted to see you."

Nikola smiled and put his own glass down.

"I think you were right, my dear, I could use a break," he gave her a particularly devious grin before taking her hand and sitting her in the chair before the fire. He lowered to his knees in front of her and crawled to her lap then reached up and kissed her gently.

"Are you jealous, Nikola Tesla?" Rose smirked.

"Of a fresh-faced virginal Baron? Never," he smirked as he slid his hands underneath the mass of petticoats that was her dress.

"I would've never suspected to see green in your eyes," she ran her hand through his hair.

Nikola sighed.

"Maybe I feel a little jealous, but only because I dislike the thought of becoming boring to you," he kissed her clavicle gently.

"You? Never, you could never bore me, Nikki," she ran her nails across his scalp and he growled slightly. "You're way too much fun to fool around with for that."

"At least I'm good for something," he chuckled as her breath hitched slightly. "I will have to go back to work at some point though."

Rose nodded.

"Of course," she kept her tone even as her eyes darkened slightly.

"And I won't promise that I'll be here in the morning," he added.

"So I'll just let myself out then," she teased her fingers deftly undoing the buttons of his shirt.

"And I can't say for certain if I'll be available to attend next evening's performance either," he added lastly.

Her facade broke slightly and she let loose a small whimper for him.

"I'll keep your box open, just in case," she gasped slightly, her voice becoming a tad breathier.

"I'll bring you flowers," he commented with a smirk.

"You always do," she laughed before silencing him with her lips.

_**~~~~Fall 1924~~~~**_

Nikola awoke lazily, his eyes cracking open. He could hear her humming, one of the old operatic tunes she had once been famous for singing, he recognized it. She had the record of it and would play it all the time when he was over, he wondered if she still had that record.

He sat up slowly and met her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." he started but she shushed him.

"It's no problem," she said softly. " I was glad for the company."

"I don't know what came over me," he groaned. "I don't usually do this. I should...I should go," he sat up further but Rose's frail hands stopped him.

"I invited you to stay young man and you're very well going to do it, I don't care what you say," she said firmly.

"How long was I...?" asked Nikola.

"Most of the night, you must've been exhausted," she fixed his hair for him.

"I'm a vampire, I don't need to sleep," he sighed.

"You may be a vampire, but you're also human, and you may not have been physically tired but you were emotionally drained. You need rest, so stay here for a few days and rest, Nikola, I would enjoy the distraction," she smiled at him then smacked him with the back of her hand across his chest. "Now, help an old lady up so that I can get ready for breakfast."

Nikola chuckled and got up and around the other side of the bed to help her up.

"Ah still the gentleman as ever," Rose sighed.

"Unfortunately I don't look much like a gentleman," Nikola looked down at his crumpled shirt and vest, his hair was no doubt a disaster as well.

"I have some of Eddie's old shirts, he wasn't as tall as you but he had a long torso like yours, I'm sure they would fit you," she pointed to the chest of drawers. "I never did bother to throw them away."

Nikola looked over at the bureau uncomfortably.

"I shouldn't," he protested.

"Nikola, put on the damn clothes," she ordered like a nanny and Nikola sheepishly sighed and went over to the chest and picked out a clean light blue shirt that he fancied.

Without really thinking he stripped off his vest and shirt and started putting on the new shirt.

"Well, there's a sight I haven't seen in a long while," chuckled Rose.

Nikola looked up and felt slightly embarrassed, only Rose could ever make him feel like this, like he was young and inexperienced and shy, very few women could.

"The vampire blushes?" Rose teased.

"Only because of you, Rose," he laughed. She was all dressed and looking better than she was last night which made him feel somewhat lighter than he had felt since, well, since Egypt.

She came up to him and began buttoning up his shirt and fixing his collar.

"Really, you men are all the same, can't dress yourselves to save your life," she teased.

"Hey, I've been dressing myself for a good sixty years, I'm not that hopeless," he sighed.

"I remember, always with the cravat," she ran her old fingers along his neck. "You always had such a beautiful throat, shame you always covered it with that foppish piece of attire."

"You liked it, don't deny it, it gave you the means to lead me wherever you wanted me to go," he teased back.

"Well there was that," she moved from his neck to swipe at his shoulder, smoothing out the wrinkles. "My what fun we had, feels just like yesterday yet it was so long ago...how memories come back, right?"

Nikola took her hand and looped it with his arm.

"May I escort you, young lady?" he gave her a wide grin.

"Watch it, I might fall into senility and believe you, this body is way too old to start believing I could do those things I used to do when I was younger, especially with these hips," Rose joked.

"You are still young to me, Rosie," he led her to the door.

"Yes, but you're crazy," she scoffed and Nikola laughed as he led her out of the bedroom and into the kitchen for breakfast.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola and Rose walked around the gardens of the estate, her arm linked with his.

The butler and the rest of the staff peeked through the windows of the house, they haven't seen their lady like this in years. All because of this strange gentleman.

They had lunch on the veranda, and tea inside because they were soon met with an onslaught of summer rain, the last they'd get before Fall truly sunk in and spread its fingers.

It rained until evening where they shared dinner in the dining room and then tea and wine in the parlor.

Nikola had set the fire himself, Rose was grateful for the warmth.

"I haven't had a day like this in ages," she sighed. "It was just the thing these old bones needed. Some company and some tea."

"I didn't know you were English," Nikola teased.

"Only part," she smirked. "My great grandfather disliked socialism and so packed up everything he had and moved to America. There he married, had 6 children, made his fortune, gambled away his fortune, got another woman pregnant and got shot by his wife."

Nikola chuckled.

"What a charming story," he smirked.

"Yes, I like to think that I got it from him, of course I was much too faithful in marriage, but if you'd have seen the mug on my Eddie you wouldn't have the heart to cheat on him," Rose took out a locket and handed it to him. "Weren't we something?"

Nikola smiled and nodded.

"Yes," he looked at the picture in the locket. "He brought you all the happiness I couldn't have."

Rose took the locket back.

"I have something you might find very interesting," she went to the book case and pulled out a book that wasn't really a book, in fact it was a box.

She took an old worn photo from the box and handed it to him.

"I kept it all this time, just in case," Rose smiled.

Nikola took the photo and grinned, he remembered when they had it took, he had been the one to slip it in her mirror so she could look at it before she went on stage.

"How did you manage to get me to dress up for a party?" Nikola laughed at the costumes they were wearing. She was dressed in her interpretation of Juliet and convinced him to go as Romeo complete with a feather in his hat. She said it went with his mustache.

Nikola laughed again at the photo.

"They made us pose so dramatically," he chuckled and put the photo down.

"You were such a good sport, I always said you'd have made an excellent actor if you tried," Rose sat down and sipped her tea.

"And what would I do in a theatre? I would've tried to fix the lighting instead of focusing on the play," Nikola laughed. "I was made to be an inventor, it's ingrained in me."

He looked down sadly for a moment but it was long enough for Rose to catch it.

"What happened between you and Helen, Nikola?" asked Rose. "My whole life I've never met a man as strong and persistent as you, but last night, I saw you break a little. What happened?"

Nikola looked down at a spot on the carpet, it was hard to say this to her face.

"I fell in love with her again, not that I ever fell out of love with her but this time...this time I was sure this was it. We were together in Egypt for five years searching for the tomb of King Tut. We didn't find it, technically, but we did grow close to each other. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be so carelessly happy with a person. I was convinced this time it would last. I asked her to marry me, the day the tomb was found, I offered to give up everything for her, and I was prepared to, I truly was. New York, my business, my life's work, everything. She accepted under the condition that I choose her over my inventions, my work, etcetera, and..."

"And?" Rose coaxed him gently.

"And I screwed it up. I ran away, just like James said I would. I ran to the closest comfort I could find and that was my work, the parting itself was...calm, I knew from he moment I picked up a pencil to begin sketching that it was over. Helen and I parted gracefully, but it doesn't stop me from berating myself for letting go of the one thing I've wanted longer than anything," Nikola sighed sadly. "Maybe in another twenty I'll be ready for her, maybe by then she'll have forgotten my mistakes. I was so close!"

Rose put her cup down gently.

"This close! I don't know why I can't ever let myself be truly happy. James was right, I'm a coward," Nikola looked down. "I'm a coward because I know what I want but I am too scared to reach out and take it."

Rose sat back and looked at him, a small hint of a small playing at the corner of her lips.

"Nikola, could you do me a favor?" she asked and he finally looked up at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want you to take my estate when I die," she got up from her chair. "I'm an old woman, and I know that one day I'm going to go and join my Eddie. And, well, we had no children, no real family or kin to pass it on to, but there's you."

Nikola looked at her incredulously.

"I wrote you in my will as my heir," Rose smiled and came up to him, cupping his chin. "I want to make sure you're taken care of when I'm gone."

Nikola sputtered.

"Rose, that's not necessary, you don't have to do this," he sat up, taking her hands in his.

"I want to Nikola, for you, for my second love," she stroked a hand through his hair. "My Serbian gentleman."

"No, Rose, I can't accept it, I have done nothing to deserve it, save it for yourself," he said firmly.

"And what am I going to do with it when I'm six feet under, Nikki, I want you to inherit this, my wealth, I want you to have it, so accept it because I made up my mind long ago. Nikki, I loved you," she caressed his cheek again. "Back when we said we didn't believe in loving each other...when I believed you would never truly love anyone but Helen...I broke he rules of our arrangement, Nikki, you were the most passionate and interesting man I've ever known. You released me though, you freed me to marry the love of my life and I owe you for all my happiness, now I want to help you find yours."

Rose kissed him gently.

"I can't Rose," Nikola felt his heart strain slightly at her honesty and could feel the tears threatening to fall once again. "I can't."

"Yes, you can!" she cried. Her voice was taken from her as she fell into a horrible coughing fit and her legs began to buckle. Nikola rushed to catch her.

"Rose!" he saw she was grasping at her chest and Nikola felt a bolt of real fear. "Help!"

The butler and some members of the staff came running in and pushed Nikola out of the way. He watched as thy attended to her now unconscious body and Nikola felt his hands shaking slightly. The sight terrified him. It hadn't quite hit him yet that she was dying, and he had been her last request.

_**~~~~Fall 1892~~~~**_

"I love you, Rose!" she heard from behind her. "I really, truly do."

Rose turned around and sighed with a slight smile.

"I told you, I don't do love," she put her hands on her hips.

"I know you said that, but I can't help it. I have to tell you, every time I see you it just comes out. I love you!"

Rose laughed softly.

"Why me? I'm hardly Baroness material," she sighed at the young man in the alleyway behind the theatre by the stage door entrance. She'd known the young Baron for a little over a month and was fully aware of his affections and intentions. He had asked her two weeks ago while spending a night at her place, to marry him. Since then she had done her best to cut off all ties, but he wasn't going away easily.

"I'm not looking for a baroness, I've dated baronesses, they are boring, all they do is gossip and eat cakes. I want a wife, a companion, someone to share my life with and it's you!"

Rose blushed slightly.

"Marry me Rose!" he took her hands.

"I can't Eddie," she sighed. "As sweet and honest as you are, I just can't. My life is the stage, I can't leave it to become a housewife and babymaker, I decided that long ago."

"Then stay on the stage. Nothing would make me happier than to see you on the stage my entire life," he lowered to one of his knees gingerly. "I won't do it with anyone but you."

"Then you're selling yourself short," she sighed and took her hands out of his. "I won't marry you."

She turned to leave.

"Is it him?" he asked and Rose paused and turned back to him.

"Who?" she asked.

"Box 3, every night, you reserve it every night in hopes that he'll come and every night you come out for your bow and your eyes search that box for him but he's never there. Is it because of him?"

Rose looked down.

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

"Because every night he's not there you look sad," Edmund stood up and cupped her cheek. "I'll understand if...if it's him," Edmund said sadly.

Rose smiled sweetly and kissed him.

"You really love me, don't you?" she asked.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," he smiled back.

"It's not what you think, me and the gentleman in Box 3," she sighed. "It's not...anything. He'll never...he and I have a unique relationship."

"Rose, just tell me what it is, I'll understand, I'll love you enough to understand," he looked at her and she melted slightly. She had never met someone so caring and honest as Edmund.

"I love him," she said honestly. "But his heart beats only for one woman. He cares for me, don't get me wrong, but I am barely half the woman that she is."

"Not to me," said Edmund.

"Yes, I know," she laughed lightly. "But you barely know me."

"I know enough to know that every moment I don't spend with you are the moments I don't want to be alive," he said sincerely and she melted again.

"But why me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because you're you," he kissed her tenderly and a part of her awakened. "Marry me, Rose? Please?"

Rose nodded.

"I will," she whispered to him and kissed him. "I will."

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

She entered into his lab. Hearing him working away at something. How he could work to all hours she never understood.

She had tucked the small ring into her clutch and closed it securely before entering. She didn't want him seeing it until she was ready.

She watched him silently for a moment.

His back was to her, and she could just see the lines of muscle through the thin cotton shirt.

She loved him, she really did, and she knew it, but he would never be hers. His heart was spread so thin between his work and his love that it hadn't the space for another.

"You really are a workaholic," she teased, enjoying how her voice physically jarred him.

"Rose," he turned to her. "Oh dear, what time is it?"

Rose laughed.

"The curtain went up and came down along time ago, Nikola," she smirked and stepped closer to him. "I have some news I'd like to share with you."

"What is it? Another play? Is it Shakespeare?" he asked, heading to his liquor cabinet and pouring a glass of wine for himself.

"Remember that Baron?" she started.

"The short cute one with a virginal spirit?" he joked and Rose snickered slightly. "Didn't you stop seeing him or something?"

"Yes, sort of," she sighed. "He's mighty persistent, you know."

"You can take him, one good left hook tithe jaw he'll leave you alone," Nikola drank a good sip of his wine before returning to his workbench.

"He's asked me to marry him," Rose continued.

Nikola chuckled.

"And what'd you say?"

Rose bit her lip slightly.

"I've accepted," she said plainly.

"What?" Nikola straightened up and turned to her. "You..."

"I've accepted. Eddie wants to marry me and says I can remain on the stage and I've decided that...I think I love him enough to do it."

"Rose..."

"You are a dear friend of mine, Nikola, one of my closest, I felt of all people you ought to know first," she sighed.

"You're going to marry a baron?" he asked again.

Rose smirked slightly.

"Unless someone comes along that loves me more than him, yes," she somewhat prayed he caught her meaning but she was meant with blank and confused eyes.

"When did this happen?" asked Nikola.

"A few nights ago, we're keeping it secret until after the run of the show," she reached for her clutch and pulled out the ring. "This is his ring."

Nikola swallowed and took the ring looking at it.

"It's beautiful," he sighed, then smiled weakly. "I guess this means our...arrangement is over."

Rose nodded.

"Unfortunately yes," Rose felt a little disheartened by his response. A part of her hoped that he would get on his knees and beg her to stay or to marry him, but that was hoping for naught.

"Well, we always knew it would have to end someday, right?" asked Nikola.

Rose nodded.

"Do you love him?" he asked.

"He loves me," Rose shrugged.

"Yes, but do you love him?" Nikola reiterated.

"I think I do," Rose sighed, a small tear brimming her eye. She quickly blinked it back.

"Then," he grasped her hand and gently slipped the ring on her finger. "I can do nothing but be happy for you."

Rose blinked back her tears again from watching him do such a simple but loving gesture. Once the ring was snug in place he raised the hand and kissed it. Rose moved quickly to grasp his head and pulled him into a kiss, it was one last attempt for her to make him see her love for him. The kiss was stunning in her mind, more passionate and desperate and yearning than any kiss she has ever given, but when she pulled back she did not see those emotions or feelings reflected back in her eyes, and something in her snapped, something that made her realize that he would always love her in their way, but it would never be enough for either of them. Suddenly she saw the look that she had seen in Edmund's eyes, and her heart melted at the thought of it.

"I'm getting married," she sputtered, a tear of joy falling from her cheek and Nikola rubbed it away with his thumb.

"We must celebrate then!" Nikola threw his hands up in the air and Rose laughed. "We shall celebrate the end of us ad the beginning of something new," Nikola poured her a glass and refilled his. "To you and the Baron's eternal happiness."

Rose accepted the glass and cheered Nikola's toast.

"You will come to the wedding, won't you?" she asked and he nodded.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Nikola pecked her cheek. "It shall be the performance of a lifetime!"

They cheered again, clinking each others glasses together again. Now, they were just friends, and they were both okay with it.

_**~~~~Fall 1924~~~~**_

Nikola paced outside of Rose's door. Back and forth, back and forth. Worry creased his features and bit at his lip. He dreaded what he was going to hear once the doctor came out of that room.

The Butler sat in the chair beside the door, polishing the brass collection with a rag. He was much calmer than Nikola was.

"You'll wear a hole in the floor at the pace you're going," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," Nikola stopped. "I must be going out of my mind."

"This is not the first time it's happened," sighed the butler. "And hopefully it won't be the last. Why don't you come with me, and I'll get a nice cold glass of something to take your mind off it, they'll be another few minutes or so anyway."

"Do you have any wine?" Nikola asked.

"I think we might manage a bottle or two somewhere," the butler stood up and tucked his rag in the belt loop on his pants. "Come on, she'll be fine. If I know anything about mylady, she's a tough one, she won't go until she is darn well ready for it and that's that."

Nikola chuckled slightly and followed the butler down to the kitchen, sitting himself on one of the stools as the Butler fetched the wine from the cellar.

"So how long have you worked for the Baron and Baroness?" asked Nikola.

"Oh let's see," I was seventeen when they hired me as a stable boy, at least the Baron's family, then when he married my lady he requested me to be on his staff. The Baron and I were quite close in age, we developed a sort of friendship over the years. I gladly accepted my new position. And from there I slowly worked my way to head butler, have been so for 15 years. Baron Edmund was the nicest employer and friend you could ever have, and his lady...well, you'd do anything for her, you understand."

Nikola smirked.

"I'm assuming that's why you haven't left yet?" Nikola said as the butler handed him a glass.

"Someone needs to take care of her since the Baron's passing, I'm happy enough to do it," the butler averted Nikola's gaze as he spoke, using the wine as an excuse. "The few of us who have stayed on, we do it out of loyalty and in honor of the Baron who had done so much for us over the years."

Nikola smirked again, just slightly.

"How long?" he asked.

"I told you, since I was seventeen," the butler scoffed.

"How long have you been in love with the Baroness?" he asked.

The butler chuckled and his eyes met up with Nikola's.

"I'm that transparent, am I?" he sighed. "I can't pinpoint exactly when it happened, or even how deep it goes. I never married, I gave my whole life to serving the Baron and his Baroness, and have done so happily. All I know is that I will stay with her till the end, as faithful and as honorable as her husband."

Nikola smirked.

"You are a good man, uh, I'm sorry I don't think I've caught your name," Nikola said sheepishly.

"Walter Dunby, you can call me Dunby, everyone does, except the Baron, informally he always called me Walt."

Nikola nodded.

"Despite what you may think you're visit has possibly been the best thing for her in the last five years, she hasn't looked so alive since her husband passed," said Dunby.

"She wants to leave me everything," Nikola sighed. "Thinks i'll needs it more than she does."

Dunby laughed.

"Probably, are you going to argue with her?"

"I tried to but that's what sen her into her fit...how can I refuse it when it makes her this upset," Nikola drank his wine. "I have no use for this house, for these things, not even for your services Dunby, no offense," he sighed.

"None taken," Dunby chuckled. "But certainly you could take the inheritance, sell the estate, pay off some debts and what have you."

Nikola shook his head.

"I'd rather she gave it to someone who had the use for it," sighed Nikola.

"She seems to believe that your work is plenty of good use," the butler drank his own glass.

"Hah, my work," Nikola scoffed.

A knock at the door stirred them from their conversation.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tesla," it was Rose's doctor. "The Baroness would like to see you. Dunby, can you cook up a batch of her medicine."

Dunby nodded.

"Certainly," Dunby nodded.

Nikola chugged down the rest of his wine and then followed the doctor out of the kitchen.

"How is she?" asked Nikola.

"Not good," the man shook his head. "I've given her strict instructions to stay in bed."

Nikola bit his lip.

"How much time does she have?"

"It's hard to say, if she holds she may have a few more weeks in her, if not then...only time will tell," shrugged the doctor. "Either way I wouldn't dawdle in going up to see her."

Nikola nodded.

"Thank you Doctor," he sighed.

"Try not to get her too riled up, I'd like her to rest as much as possible," the doctor left.

His words stung a little, even though the doctor only meant them in kindness. The doctor didn't know that he and Rose were arguing before she went into her fit.

Nikola bit his lip and ascended the stairs slowly, counting each step he took. 81 steps. He knew it would take 81 steps to reach her door.

He swallowed dryly.

What was he going to say to her? He didn't want to upset her again, but then again he didn't want her to leave her fortune to someone so undeserving as him.

Why did he come here? He could've been spared all of this if he'd just stayed home and kept working.

Nikola reached her door and stated at the handle. He could leave now before it was too late.

He looked back at the way he'd just came.

He shook his head. He'd never forgive himself if he did that. He had to go in there and say something, apologize to his age friend. He had never meant to make her upset, but her offer was too generous, he couldn't accept it, and he wouldn't.

He opened the door and carefully stepped in. Rose looked up with old weary eyes.

"I was afraid you were going to run off again," her voice sounded old and tired as she spoke.

Nikola visibly flinched at the sound of her labored breathing.

"I couldn't leave you now, Rose," his voice was weak and tight.

"Come here, lie down beside me please," she coughed.

Nikola didn't argue. He moved around the bed and sat down, looking at her over his shoulder before swinging his legs gently on to the mattress.

He settled and then have her a weak smile.

"Closer," she waved him over.

He scooted slightly.

"Closer, Nikola, or i'll do it myself," she threatened and he chuckled. He shuffled himself right up to her and rested his head on his arm.

Rose took his other hand and placed it around her waist.

"There, that's better," she sighed.

Nikola chuckled again.

"I'm not sleeping with you, you can't make me," he teased.

Rose let out a dry chuckle.

"This will do fine," she sighed. "Now, while I've got you, I'm going to tell you your next course of action, and you will not interrupt me, do you hear me young man?"

Nikola sighed but nodded.

"Good. Now, you're going I spend the night here, as you are, and keep me company, tomorrow I will have Dunby fix up the papers for you to sign that will put you in charge of my estate, and you won't argue with me about it, you're just going to do it, or so help me i'll have an attack right now and then you will have no choice. Can you do this one thing for me, Nikola?"

"What am I going to do with your estate? They will take everything to pay off my debts," he said.

"Then so be it," she sighed. "It's yours to do with as you like."

"Rose, please, I don't want your fortune, I came here as a friend, not an heir," he cupped her cheek gently. "I came because someone I cared for asked to see me one last time."

"Just take it and don't argue, be a gentleman and grant a dying lady her last wish, or I'll haunt you forever!" she growled at him and then kissed his cheek.

"As you wish," he sighed.

"Good, now we won't talk about this anymore, now take off your shirt," she ordered.

Nikola sputtered.

"Rose!" he admonished.

"You'll wrinkle it, if your going to stay here the evening at least have the decency not to ruin my late husband's shirt in the process."

He sighed and sat up, carefully undoing the top buttons then pulling it over his head. He folded it neatly and tossed it on a nearby church.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Better," Rose smirked. She traced her hand over his chest.

"This was just an excuse for me to be shirtless wasn't it, you don't care a bull's ass over your late husband's shirts," Nikola accused and Rose laughed.

"So I wanted to get some pleasure in my old age, so sue me," Rose shrugged.

"You dirty old woman," Nikola laughed.

"Were you really expecting anything less, I am still me, you know," she sighed.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," Nikola snuggled down beside her and cuddled her into his embrace. She instantly relaxed into his arms.

"I love you, Nikki," she said sleepily before drifting off into a pleasant slumber.

Nikola pecked the side of her head.

"As do I," he chuckled. He allowed himself to relax with her in his arms.

The dreams he had, for once were not of the fair-haired Englishwoman that normally haunted his every thought, but we're filled with the young redhead he'd met all those years ago who had stripped off his naive gentility and most of his clothes and convinced him to play poker. They had some great times together.

_**~~~~Fall 1892~~~~**_

Nikola ran.

He was going to be late, how could he let time get away from him so easily, especially on this day.

He held a bouquet of roses as he tore across the crowd of people.

She was going to kill him.

His invitation was tucked into his breast pocket; he was dressed in his best suit, which had definitely seen better days, and he had quickly slicked back his hair and shaved to make himself more presentable.

"Are you Tesla?" someone asked and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Yes," he turned to see a beautifully dressed woman. "How did you know?"

"She said I would recognize you when I saw you, she's waiting for you," the woman waved him over and tugged him past the crowd of people into a corridor, which led to a series of rooms.

She opened the second door and waved Nikola in.

"Be quick, you're holding everyone up," she sighed haughtily.

Nikola hurried inside and the door was shut behind him.

The room was seemingly empty.

"Rose?" Nikola called out tentatively.

He heard a slight rustle and suddenly she came out from behind the blinder, wearing a perfect satin handmade wedding gown.

"What do you think?" she asked, uncharacteristically nervous.

"You look..." he started, quite stunned.

"The dress has been passed down from Eddie's great grandmother, it's quite beautiful is it not?" she asked looking down at the white garment. "I feel rather silly in it."

"No, no, no," Nikola snapped out of his haze. "You look perfect. Eddie will die and go to heaven once he sees you coming up the aisle in that."

Rose blushed slightly.

"You think so?" she asked.

"I barely know why I'm still alive right now," he chuckle dryly. "Sorry for being late, I got, uh, held up...buying these!"

He held up the flowers for her.

"It was the best wedding present I could think of, I thought it rather fitting," he shrugged.

"They're beautiful," Rose took them.

"I thought you might like them," he chuckled. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"Yes, I did," she sighed. "I thought of all the people you were the one who'd tell me."

"Tell you what?" he asked.

"That I'm...making a mistake, or something, I don't know, I just know I had to see you before I walked down that aisle."

Nikola shuffled awkwardly on his feet.

"What if I didn't come?" he asked. "What if I forgot?"

"I don't know, probably would've gone to find you and drag you down here. I'm glad I didn't have to do that," she chuckled weakly.

"What do you want me to do, Rose?" he took her hand gently.

"Tell me honestly...how do I look?" she asked sternly and he smiled.

"You are going to make Eddie very happy, and I think he will do the same for you," Nikola kissed her hand gently. "And if you ever need me all you have to do is ask, and I'll come."

He kissed her hand again.

"Now let's get you to that wedding before your husband to be starts to suspect that I've stolen you away," Nikola handed her the bouquet.

"I don't want those, I'll take these," she picked up the bouquet he had brought her.

"If it gets you down the aisle, so be it," Nikola shrugged.

"It will," she nodded.

He grinned and escorted her out of the room, through the corridor back to the main hall to the woman that had stopped him before.

"She's here," Nikola said.

"Oh heavens! Finally! I'll tell the priest," the woman marched out.

"I have a feeling she doesn't like me," said Nikola.

"Eddie's sister, Veronica, she's a bit of a control freak, but she's well meaning," said Rose.

"I should go find a seat in the hall," said Nikola.

"Right," Rose nodded.

"You look stunning," he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," she smiled.

Nikola turned and headed inside the hall, his hand twitching nervously as he took a seat by the aisle.

"Are you with the groom or the bride?" asked an old lady beside him.

Nikola felt flustered for a second.

"I'm not with anybody," he said sullenly.

"Well you have to be, somebody must've invited you," the old woman chuckled.

"Oh yes, the bride," he chuckled.

"Ah, are you family? I haven't met one member of her family yet."

"Yes I'm her...step-brother," Nikola felt his stomach turn a little. Him and Rose were anything but siblings.

"No father, no mother," continued the lady.

"Dead," Nikola lied easily.

"Ah, so you're all she has," the woman patted his arm.

"Hardly, she has a whole new family now, she has Edmund," he pointed up to the handsome groom standing at the front.

"So, she's all you have," the woman concluded.

Nikola felt something in him twist again.

Before he had time to answer everyone was standing to welcome the bride.

Rose walked in looking like a nervous nellie on her first stage performance. But she was smiling. Her eyes met his for a brief second before turning to the man in front of her and stepping more confidently towards him.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola never understood these wedding parlor games. They were old and traditional and stupid.

He watched as Rose threw the bouquet of flowers over her shoulder into the crowd of wedding guests who clambered to get it.

It was caught, people cheered and applauded, then moved on making the whole ritual rather pointless, of course he thought the entire ritual of a wedding was pointless. In the end two people who love each other were joined in a holy bond, and all the bells and whistles really meant squat in the long run.

He saw a single rose left from the bouquet lying perfect on the ground, he went and picked it up. It was only slightly trampled, but still perfect in his eyes.

Suddenly a hand rested on his shoulder and he spun to its owner.

A rose by any other name...

She smiled at him.

"You seem quite downcast," she said.

"Me? No. You however make a wonderful Baroness," he teased.

"According to Eddie's sister I lack refinement and intelligence to be a proper baroness, to which Eddie told her to blow it out her cornhole, engagement parties are a riot," Rose giggled and Nikola couldn't help but laugh as well.

"I should be on my way soon, work never finishes, as you know," Nikola sighed and looked down, shuffling his foot into the ground.

Rose's smile faltered slightly.

"Won't you stay for cake?" she asked.

"As tempting as that is, I think...I think I'll go now, before I've overstayed my welcome," Nikola handed her the trampled rose he had found.

"I'll miss you, Nikki, maybe one day, after the honeymoon that is, we can go get lunch," she suggested.

"That would be nice. And you know, I will always try to come see your plays," he continued.

"I will keep your box open then," she replied.

"And I'll write you...about the world's fair, it's sure to be fantastic," he continued.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Rose smiled.

"Alright then, goodbye Rose," he smiled weakly.

"Goodbye Mr. Tesla," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "May our lives cross paths again."

He nodded and turned without another look back and left.

Rose watched him until he was nothing but a very solemn dot fading into the horizon.

"Rose, darling!" called Edmund from the party. "There you are, Veronica is having a fit. What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Nothing, just watching the sunset," she turned to him and smiled. The sun was on his face, highlighting his sparkling gold hair and bright blue eyes and her heart suddenly lifted. This was the man she was going to spend the rest of her days with.

Wouldn't that be just marvelous.

_**~~~~Fall 1924~~~~**_

It was cloudy on the day they buried her. The sun fought through the thick mass of puffy white expanse the entire day, never really finding a way through.

How fitting he thought.

What light through yonder window breaks, it is the east and Juliet is the sun.

He snickered. She would've loved that to be carved on her tombstone.

Sadly all they could come up with was Loving Wife and Mistress. Her talent shall shine forever in our hearts.

Not quite Shakespeare, but pleasant enough he guessed.

Aside from the staff and Dunby, he was the only guest to the funeral who had cared enough to come. Many notices were sent out but all that came back in return were excuses. No one wanted to think of death at this point in time. Life was booming around them, death couldn't touch them, so they all curtly refused their invite. Except Nikola.

Death would never touch him no matter how close to it he got.

The funeral was quick, only a few tears shed from the female staff.

Dunby stood next to Nikola throughout the entire thing.

When the priest finally closed the book, said a prayer and walked away he finally turned to look at the old butler.

"What will you do now?" asked Nikola.

Walter Dunby shrugged.

"Return to our families I suppose, at least they will. I will take what moderate amount of savings I've managed to conjure up and try to find my place in the world. Maybe work in the factories."

"Can't you stay here?" asked Nikola.

"All of my lady's estate has gone to you now, and you have expressed no desire to stay here, you probably plan on selling it to the highest bidder, and unfortunately, most of those bidders aren't looking for a waitstaff. They want to tear everything down to build something new on the land. One of those Coney Island type amusement parks, I hear. No, in a couple of months all I know and love will be gone."

Nikola looked down for a second.

"And what if they didn't?" asked Nikola.

"What do you mean?" asked Walter.

"What if I didn't sell it to the highest bidder, kept it in the family name," said Nikola.

"Are you serious? You'd take over the manor, like my lady wished?" Walter's eyes lit up.

"I still have to stay in New York, my work there is very important, but until such a time as when I can take over the manor I shall leave it, and it's fortune in the care of its landlord and staff. It's yours Walter."

Walter stood profoundly speechless, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

"I don't know what to say, sir," he gasped.

"You don't have to say anything, just be ready when I call for you," Nikola said.

"When will that be, sir?" asked Walter.

"You'll know when," Nikola patted his shoulder. "Now, let's go sign the official documents and get all of this legalized. If you're to be my governor, let it be known on paper."

The two walked back into the manor, shoulder to shoulder as friends. Though Walter didn't understand how he fit into this strange Serbian's plans, he was going to follow him hand in foot into whatever future lay ahead of them.

Nikola left that very afternoon knowing Rose's home and estate were in the capable hands of her loyal butler.

Tucked into his breast pocket was the one item he decided to keep for himself. It was the picture Rose had kept all these years. On the back, he noticed, she had written the date of when the picture was taken, but instead his name written to indicate who the picture was of she had written: My Serbian Gentleman.

And he was and forever would be.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Hi! Miss me?

I really chose the worst summer to decide to finish up writing this story in any feesible amount of time. It's been hectic, I've barely had time to sit in front of a computer and when i have had time there hasn't been a computer around to do it. I've been writing most of my stuff on my phone but sadly it's incredibly hard to upload it from my phone to fanfiction, it probably is possible but i'm too lazy. But here you are. There isn't a lot of Helen, actually Helen probably won't be much in the next one either. Nikola is going to have some things happen to him, some tears, some goodbyes, some growing, and he's planning something. What you may ask, you'll see once we get into the latter chapters. Though i would love to hear your theories. What is he planning? Any guesses. I'm also still writing HWMA, so those who follow that story don't have to worry.

Funny story, you'll all appreciate this. I was volunteering at this place called Caravan Farm Theatre, just outside of my hometown, they have been doing shows there for many years and they are very awesome. I volunteer there every summer as an usher. Well, i was volunteering for their opening night when who should mosey in to come see the show but are very own and very favorite J-Yo, and he walked past me and said hello, and i said hi back, and he asked my how i was doing and i proceeded to nerd all over him, very professionally, but i still nerded out like the geek that I am. Turns out, comic con is for wimps, this shit just happens to me! Not boasting, it was the single most exciting and mortifying thing that ever happened to me this summer. I don't think I weirded him out too much, so yay! Point 1 for nerdy restraint!

The next day me and my mom watch the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremonies and another fave actor of mine made an appearance. Kenneth Branagh! Quoting Shakespeare and being the single most awesome thing about London 2012...in my opinion.

So, yes, I had an awesome nerd summer. But i haven't forgotten you guys, don't worry. And for my lovely reader Chartreuseian, I will try to sneak in a warm gooey romanticy gropey moment between Helen and Nikola before this fic is through. Wonderful! I hope you're all enjoying your summers as much as I'm enjoying mine. Hearts and Niko cookies to you all! And for the season, take some wine, but it into a popsicle mold and cover it in chocolate and make yourself a Niko Pop! A cool treat never went down so smooth :)

Now that you have the idea of Nikola with a popsicle in your heads, I'm going to leave and go write some more while I still got you. Muahahaha!


	52. The Death of Luka and Mrs Fillipov (1)

**Chapter 52 - The Death of Luka and Mrs. Filipov (Part 1)**

_**~~~~Summer 1897~~~~**_

Nikola looked up from the parlor game stall over to the beautiful woman standing behind him.

He held in his hand a small game rifle filled with blanks, aimed at little steel figures on an animated track with little bullseye's painted in the middle. Above him hanged dolls and stuffed dogs, and other assorted prizes.

In all his time in New York this was his first trip to Coney Island, a growing attraction among youth and tourists, or even just the curious and the bored.

It was a perfectly acceptable place for a scientist and a married woman to get lost in. No one knew them, nor could any one who knew them seem them.

He smiled at Katherine Johnson and gave her a small wink as he turned back to the game and shot five targets down with an expert shot.

The stall keeper shouted out his winnings and handed Nikola a small bear with a bow tie to him which he brought back to his waiting date.

"For you," he grinned and handed it to her.

"Oh Nikki, how charming," she smiled at it. "Thank you."

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"It's amazing how a few hotels, some fantastical attractions and a couple of parlor games can attract so many people," Nikola joked taking Katherine's arm and walking her away from the gaming stalls.

"I hear they have big plans for this island, there is talk of bigger and more grander spectacles to come," she nodded.

"Bigger than the elephant?" joked Nikola pointing to the still visible form of the large steel and wood elephant poised over the buildings like a beacon.

Katherine laughed.

"Bigger than the elephant," she nodded.

"Doesn't matter, I preceded them them all, I invented the very machine that runs their lights, and their parties and their..."

"Burlesque stages?" Katherine teased.

"Even so, it was a grand invention," he sighed.

"Yes it was," Katherine agreed.

The two stepped on to the boardwalk that led to the docks reaching out far into the Atlantic oceans. The natural element almost as much of a spectacle as the light show behind it.

"Robert would never come here," sighed Katherine. "He does not have the curious spirit like you and I do. He prefers things he understands, like friends and poetry. Not that I don't like friends or poetry but there is life everywhere, Nikki, there is experiences everywhere, and when I met you I realized I wanted to experience them."

Nikola smirked and took her hand.

"Am I an escape?" he asked.

"Yes, I believe you are, a relief more like it, a beautiful relief from the aged world I find myself living in," she turned and caressed his cheek. "I love you for that."

Nikola took her hand gently and kissed the inside of her palm with a tender brush of his lips.

"Your welcome," he said softly and she smiled.

"It's funny, when I first met Robert he was the most exciting man I'd ever met. He was learned and intelligent, different from all the boys in my hometown, I loved him for that. He was the first to treat me like a woman, but now that I am a woman, you've been the first to treat me like young flower. I feel alive and free spirited when I'm with you," she took his hand and led him further on the dock.

Nikola laughed softly.

"The way you talk sometimes, Katherine, it leads me to wonder," he chuckled releasing her hand as she ran to the end of the dock. The sun was setting and it framed her silhouette beautifully.

"Oh Nikki, the boats! I love watching them sail on the horizon. It's magical," Katherine turned to him and he smiled.

It was these moments he really loved her, she had the wisdom of a woman way beyond her years but the bright and stainless youth of an untouched dove, amazed and awed by all, yet not scared by it. It made his rather pessimistic view as of late melt into a boyish grin. It made him feel lighter. Yes, he thought, now he loved her.

Katherine turned back to the fading sun and placed her hands on the railing as she looked back to the ocean.

"Couldn't you just die to a view like that?" she asked whimsically. "Just looking at it you feel as if you could fly, but at the same time feel as if you were at the end of the world and there was nothing more than this."

Nikola stood behind her and placed his hands next to hers on the railing as well. His head came just by her ear as they both stated at the golden-pink sky in front of them.

"I wouldn't want to die," he remarked. "But I can think of other things to do with a view like that."

He could just see the corners of Katherine's mouth curl upwards in a knowing smile.

Without a word he pressed a kiss to her soft neck, hearing her gasp gently as his lips moved tenderly over the smooth skin to the exposed skin near her shoulder. One of his hands let go of the railing to wrap securely around her waist as he continued to lavish her exposed skin with his lips.

She let out a breathy chuckle as one of her own hands grasped his around her waist and her head leant back to rest against his shoulder, her eyes closed in ecstasy of the simple yet erotic gesture of intimacy between them.

The sun was on both of their faces as Nikola moved his assault upwards from her neck to her ear.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath.

"I love you," he whispered to her.

He didn't know what prompted the confession on his part, but in this moment, on this dock, on this island, he loved her with all of his being and he wanted her to know that.

_**~~~~1925~~~~**_

Nikola burst into the home on Lexington Avenue, not even bothering to knock, he hadn't the time for it. He needed to see her, and he needed to see her now.

He ran into the study where his old friend undoubtedly was.

"Luka!" he called, running into the room to the old man's worn chair. "How is she?"

Robert Underwood Johnson looked up with old weary eyes.

"I sometimes forget the lack of age presented in you," he looked at Nikola warily. "Must be the effect of all your work with electricity."

Nikola kneeled by the armrest to look into Robert's eyes.

"Katherine, Luka, can I see her? I got your telegram, please, I don't know how late I am, but I want to see her," Nikola grasped his friends hand and held on tightly. "May I?"

"She requested you herself, said she would not pass until she saw you one last time," sighed Robert sadly. "I always hoped I would go first."

Nikola stood up.

"Where is she, Luka?" he asked.

"In the upstairs bedroom, resting, go on in," Robert sat up slowly. "I'll be up in a minute I have to prepare her medicine."

Nikola felt his heart twinge at the word. It sounded awfully bleak to his ears.

"I'm sorry Robert," said Nikola honestly.

Robert nodded and sighed heavily as he trudged to the kitchen.

Nikola hated aging, hated seeing the youth drain out of his friend's eyes.

Without another word he turned and left the study, heading up the staircase to the master bedroom of the house. He reached the door and his hand trembled slightly. He was going to lose her, lose another woman he held dear, he could feel it, he'd already lost Rose, it was all happening at once and he was breaking bit by bit with every passing.

He grasped the door handle and turned it with ease.

His breath came in a gasp as his eyes fell upon her frail form lying in the bed. She looked thin, pale, and tired, unbelievably tired. Next to her on the nightstand were pictures, frames upon frames of beloved pictures. Her and Luka's wedding photo, pictures of her children, pictures of her family, her friends, pictures of him. The foremost frame held a picture of him locked in a timeless gaze. It was an old photo he had taken for, he couldn't even remember what. The man in the photo was younger, happier, successful, he had the world on a platter and potential oozing out of his fingertips. This man was dead. Gone were the days that he dreamt he could change the world with a flick of his wrist and a dazzle of his genius. Gone were the days he believed that everything he wanted was just at his grasp.

He put the frame down back in its spot before pulling up a chair to sit by her bedside.

He sat down heavily and rested his elbows on his knees.

He never thought the day would come where he would have to watch all the ones he loved wither and die. He remembered when he received the telegram of Sam's passing from his wife. His heart had twinged at the knowledge that he would never spend another day in the company of his friend. He even remembered the day his own beloved mother died and he had received word from his sisters that they were taking her body to Gospic, her home town to be buried in her familial plot, he couldn't remember if he even cried or not because at the same time of his mourning he had suffered his own brush with mortality at the end of Jack the Ripper's blade, then his focus returned to the one thing he held more dearer to him than his sweet mother, Helen.

He lost her as well in a way.

Nikola leant his forehead into his hands and let out a small sob.

This was all hitting him at once, all this death, all this loss, and not even his immortal and vampiric abilities were strong enough for him to shield against it.

He silently prayed in Serbian, feeling compelled to do so as he watched his beloved friend lie in a peaceful slumber. Was he praying for her soul, he didn't know, he just prayed.

_**~~~~Summer 1897~~~~**_

Katherine laid on top of him, her head resting against his chest and her long hair splayed down her bare back highlighted by the colorful array of lights outside their hotel window. Her arms rested next to his sides, her fingers ghosting the muscles of his forearms and biceps gently as her breathing stilled to a calm pace.

Their lower halves were covered by the sheet, and his arms held her securely but gently around the waist.

Nikola closed his eyes, enjoying the peacefulness of this moment.

Coney Island buzzed beneath them as people, couples, men and women like them ran around outside, looking to get away, looking for a distraction, or looking for a dark corner.

Nikola wondered if there were other married women out there with men who weren't their betrothed, or if their were married men out their with women they had no business being with but were because it was fun and exciting, and dark, and seedy, and it was Coney Island, and no one was going to find them there.

He let out a sigh.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him, pressing a small kiss to his bare chest.

"Who says I'm thinking anything?" Nikola shrugged.

"You're always thinking," she looked up at him with a smile.

"It's nothing, just thoughts," he sighed, stroking his hand up her back softly.

"Not a world changing invention or anything like that?" she teased.

"No, not quite," he chuckled. "I'm just content to have you lie in my arms right now."

Katherine laughed and rested her head against him again.

"That is manageable," she teased, pressing another kiss to his skin.

Nikola's eyes darted around the room and he spotted the bear he had won for her resting on the vanity. It's bow tie picking up fractions of light and causing the bear to have a life of it's own somewhat.

He turned back to Katherine and pressed a kiss to her hair, his arms tightening around her gently.

"We have to leave tomorrow," he sighed. "Robert will be back in a day or so."

Katherine nodded against his chest.

"It's a shame, this place is out of some kind of fantasy, a part of me could stay here forever," she nuzzled him gently.

Nikola looked outside the window. Coney Island wasn't just showboats and bright lights. No, like all things it had a dark side, a black underbelly kept to its corners or swept under the rug. The Gut, as it was referred to; a debaucherous cluster of cheap booze and sex, flimsy showgirls, and lousy drinking songs, meant for individuals trying to hide or spend their money and desires on anyone that would take them for a low fee.

He would never take Katherine there, hell, he wouldn't go there himself, that was low at its all time lowest. Besides, he and Katherine were not like that, they were lovers, so to speak. Their only crime was that one of them happened to be married, but there was still a love between them.

Nikola stroked her back once more.

"I could stay here forever," sighed Katherine sleepily.

"What? In Coney Island?" asked Nikola.

"No, here, with you," she lifted her head again. "I've never felt so complete like when I'm with you."

Nikola chuckled slightly.

"There you go again, Miss Filipov, talking in your strange way," he brushed some hair from her face.

"I mean it, Nikki. I love you, here and now and forever," she kissed him tenderly. "Nothing will ever change that."

Nikola lifted a hand to caress her cheek, then sliding into her hair and cupping the back of her head, pulling her into another kiss.

"Then we'll always have Coney Island," he whispered to her before claiming her lips in a stronger kiss than before.

She responded in kind, using her arms to lift her slightly above him to kiss him at a better angle.

Nikola rolled them over, taking the sheet with them to cover them as Katherine laughed against his lips.

They were always going to have Coney Island.

_**~~~~1925~~~~**_

Katherine's eyes fluttered awake. She had been awakened by the sound of crying, soft sobs, at least that's what it sounded like.

She looked around for the source and her eyes fell upon him. His hands were cupped in front of his face like one would say grace, small streams of tears flowing down his young, youthful cheeks. He wasn't sobbing as she had originally thought, but muttering in a language she didn't understand but recognized to be his own.

He'd come, she knew him anywhere. He'd come at her request, like she knew he would.

"Nikola," she croaked through her hoarse throat and he stopped and looked up, meeting her gaze. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled at her.

"Katherine," he sighed and took her frail old hand in his. "Oh Katherine."

His sadness etched his voice and it pained her to see him this distraught.

"I always did love it when you called me Katherine," she spoke slowly and surely. "Mrs Filipov always made me feel old."

She chuckled dryly. Nikola chuckled as well.

"Oh, look at you," he sighed. "I feel as if you'll break."

Katherine reached a shaking hand over to him and caressed his cheek.

"Must be strange for an immortal man like you," she smiled, running a hand through his hair.

Nikola knew she meant it only as a joke, but it was ironic how correct she was.

"You haven't aged a day," she sighed. "Except for your eyes."

Nikola laughed.

"Someone told me the exact same thing before...before she...," Nikola couldn't bring himself to say the word.

"I missed you," she squeezed his hand. "I told Robert that I needed to see you. And you came."

Nikola felt his heart twinge again.

"Of course I came, how could I not," he sighed, another tear slipped past his facade and Katherine caught it.

"You're crying," she gasped and looked at him in awe.

"I can't help it, I'm losing everyone I ever cared about all at once," he squeezed her hand that small bit tighter. "I going to lose you Katherine. I've already lost Helen and Rose, I can't lose you too. I'm probably going to lose Robert as well. I can't bear it anymore."

Katherine sat up as best she could but her weak body fell down and Nikola moved to catch and set her back down easily.

"I'm sorry," she coughed, the slight jolt taking some of the wind out of her. Nikola moved from the chair to sit on the side of the bed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern brimming his features.

"I was scared you wouldn't come," sighed Katherine. "I love you, Nikola, I never stopped."

"You loved Luka," Nikola scoffed. "You two had a wonderful life together, a long wonderful life."

"Doesn't mean I didn't love you Nikki," she held his hand once more. "You were one of the greatest loves of my life, the other being Robert."

Nikola moved a stray lock of hair from her face.

"I can't say goodbye, Katherine," he sighed. "I ran away from you and Robert all those years ago, I ran away from everything. I run and I keep running and now, just when I'm tired of it all, the people that I love are slipping away from me, one by one."

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Will you do me one favor, Nikola, please?" asked Katherine.

"Of course. What is it? Anything," he looked at her sincerely.

"Hold me," she whispered. "Hold me, Nikola."

Nikola didn't know what to think but he nodded anyway, shuffling around so he could scoop her up in his strong arms and cradle her into his chest. His hand stroked down her back gently as her old frail body cuddled as close as possible.

"This reminds me...of that time we spent...in Coney Island," sighed Katherine sleepily.

Nikola chuckled.

"I remember," he nodded as he rubbed soothing circles across her back.

"That was the only time you ever said you loved me," sighed Katherine.

"I've always loved you," Nikola answered. "I still love you."

Katherine smiled.

"We will always have Coney Island, that's what you said to me," Katherine muttered.

"And we always will," he kissed her forehead gently. "It's ours forever."

"Forever and ever," she mumbled before letting her eyes drift close.

It was only that that Nikola saw it. An old, ratty bear sitting atop a shelf in the bedroom, an old ratty bear with a bow tie.

"You kept him," he gasped. "You kept him all this time, you..."

He looked down at her and knew. She was gone. She had held on just long enough to hear him say those last words for her. She wanted to die knowing he loved her.

Nikola bit his lip and kept holding her, not ready to let go yet.

When Robert came into check on her Nikola had gone off to mourn by himself, giving Robert his own time alone with her. He never did notice the empty space on the shelf where a ratty old bear had been.

_**~~~~August I937~~~~**_

It had been awhile since he had stepped through these doors. Not since the funeral.

Robert sat in the parlor, reading, looking old and frail and tired as always but in good spirits. He hadn't really been himself since Katherine had passed but he was looking better than he had in awhile.

"Hello Luka," said Nikola.

"Nikola," Robert looked up and smiled warmly. "Thank you for coming."

"I couldn't very well refuse the invitation," Nikola smiled warmly back.

"How long has it been since you and I say together in this house?" asked Robert.

"Coming on twelve years, not since..."

Robert looked down in a fond remembrance.

"I know. She died too young," he sighed. "By all reason I should've gone long before her."

"Then who would be there to care for her?" teased Nikola.

"You, of course," Robert looked up at Nikola.

"I can hardly look after myself," chuckled Nikola.

"I do see that age is finally starting to touch your face, and your eyes," Robert pointed out.

It was amazing what some white paint and a few fake wrinkles could do. Of course he had excused his lack of aging as a result with his work with electricity, he never did tell either Katherine or Robert about his true nature.

"It has to sometime. I'm not immortal or anything like that," Nikola tried not to snicker at that.

"Do you know what was Katherine's last wish for me was?" said Robert.

"What?" asked Nikola.

"She told me, she said "Robert, when I'm gone, I want you to look after our dear friend, Nikki. Make sure he finds some happiness in his life before he goes". I confess I haven't been doing a good job of that in the last decade. I spent too much time wallowing in my own self pity, but now the time has come to make good on my promise."

Nikola rolled his eyes. Why did everyone he cared for did with the wish that he was happy, why did everyone think he was unhappy?

Aside from the fact that the only time he truly felt happy was the brief time he was engaged to Helen, but that's hardly his fault. What with the Great Depression and everything he felt he was allowed to be depressed on some level.

"I'm sick, Nikola, sicker than I look," Robert interrupted Nikola's thoughts. "My doctor says there isn't anything wrong with me, like cancer or ticker problems, but I can feel it. I'm too old. And with all this talk of war and the Germans, I'm just too old for another war. Too tired to live through it again."

"Aren't you being just a bit over-dramatic?" joked Nikola.

"Whether I die tomorrow or in ten years I'm sorting out my estate an I've listed you as one of my beneficiaries," said Robert.

Nikola groaned. Not again.

"You don't have to do that Robert, leave your money to your children, give them their future and your grand kids, not me."

"You are the one currently living in debt," sighed Robert.

"Because I'm happy in debt! It makes me feel important," cried Nikola.

"Bullshit," huffed Robert.

"So what if it's bullshit, I don't want your inheritance, or your estate. I'm happy just the way I am Robert!"

"I promised Katherine..."

"Then fulfill it another way! Better yet, I'll have a seance and tell her I'm doing fine so you don't have to worry."

"Now Nikola."

"No, Robert. I can't take your money from you."

Nikola felt his heart twist slightly.

"Why not?"

"Because I...because I don't deserve it," Nikola groaned and scrubbed a hand over his head.

"Why the devil do you think that?" asked Robert.

"Because I slept with her behind your back!" Nikola confessed.

"What?" the warmth drained out of Robert's features.

"I'm a bastard and I know that, and I never meant to come between you two, but...it just kind of happened. We had an affair, it was small, I ended it because I couldn't live with the guilt. Because I loved both you and her, Luka. There! You have it! My darkest secret, and I will burn a little each day knowing I've betrayed my best and most loyal friend because of my stupid lust! Now keep your inheritance for someone who can use it!"

The silence between them was deafening.

"Say something Luka, anything," begged Nikola.

Robert quietly stood up and took two silent and calm steps up to Nikola, looking him dead on in the eye.

Before Nikola realized it he was punched hard in the face and toppling to the floor.

"Get out," growled Robert. "You bastard, get out!"

Nikola held a hand to his face, collecting the small amount of blood dripping out of his nose.

"I'm sorry, Luka," he turned and headed out of the house at Lexington Avenue.

He cracked his nose back in place, feeling simultaneously like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders only to replaced by a new one. He had told Robert the truth but the truth had most likely ruined their long friendship for good.

He hailed a cab and entered into it, ready to return back to his hotel. He rarely strayed far from it and when he did he never drew too much attention to himself. His double a man known as Rudyard Miller had played him successfully for years as his youth would not go unchecked by the newspapers. Rudy and him talked on end about his mannerisms, who he talked to what he talked about. Rudy had no family or children to be missed by and was happy for the renewed purpose as well as the modest fee keeping him from working on the streets with the other men struck by the economic downfall of the country.

Rudy was the right age, the right height, the right build, even the right facial structure.

Rudy looked quite similar to Nikola in his youth as well, and Rudy was a good student. He took notes and he memorized, knowing as much of Nikola's life and personally quirks as Nikola did. The two were roommates at the Hotel New Yorker. Nikola devised ways to allow himself to sneak around without attracting any undo attention from the maid staff.

Rudy gave Nikola the freedom to not be Nikola Tesla more than he had to be, which was nice.

Nikola arrived at the Hotel New Yorker about a half hour later. He entered, flirted with woman at the desk.

"You may go up Mr. Dragoslav," she giggled and smiled at him.

"Thank you Jenny," he winked at her and headed to the elevator. It was a good thing he scratched the paint out of his hair before entering the hotel.

"Where to, sir?" asked the bellhop on the elevator.

"Level 40," he said.

The rest of the trip was silent.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, Nikola stepped out casually and tipped the bellhop while continuing down the hall.

He reached his room and was about pull out his key when...

"If you're a reporter he won't see you," a voice said suddenly.

Nikola turned to see a young woman, about 23 to 25. She was dressed in the maid uniform and rolling a cart while holding two rolls of toilet paper under her arms.

"I'm not a reporter," he smirked at her.

"He won't see lawyers or bankers either," stated the young woman.

"Fortunately I'm not a lawyer or a banker either, I'm an old friend," said Nikola.

"Not that old, and he never has friends," she said continuing to work.

"I'm visiting," Nikola shrugged.

He knocked on the door.

"Busy!" answered Rudy.

Of all the times to be in character.

"It's me!" called Nikola,

"I'm not expecting anybody!" called Rudy in his artificial Serbian accent.

Nikola groaned.

The young maid chuckled.

"Sure you're not a journalist?" she asked.

Nikola chuckled.

"You caught me," he raised his hands in surrender. "I work for the daily, uh, re- uh - gurgitated...reporter. The Daily Reporter. Hah! We're doing a piece on old...smart people..."

"You're not a journalist," the woman rolled her eyes.

"You're right, I'm really a genius," Nikola tried to sound smug bit the woman's scoff deflated him immediately.

"Who are you, really?" asked the maid.

"I really do know him, really, see he gave me his spare key. I'm his nephew," he held up the hotel key.

"You're Nikola Tesla's nephew?" she asked skeptically.

"My mother was his sister Marica, I'm her youngest," Nikola lied. "This is our first meeting so you can understand why he didn't understand me, I should probably introduce myself. Javor," Nikola extended his hand.

"I've heard of you, you are Tesla's assistant they say, sometimes he sends you down to fix problems instead of himself," said the maid.

Nikola smirked.

"Caught me again," Nikola retracted his hand. "This really isn't my day."

"It would've been easier for you if you just told the truth," she remarked.

"I guess I was trying to be impressive," Nikola shrugged. "Most girls don't find gopher boys for ailing geniuses very endearing."

The maid chuckled and kept walking away.

Oh, he could not end it there.

"Uh, what's your name? It wouldn't end with Holmes now would it?" he followed after her.

"Cleo," she answered.

"That's beautiful," he nodded.

"Maybe you heard of me, I used to rule Egypt before I hot bored of that and decided I'd become a maid in New York."

Nikola chuckled.

"You're sharp," he commented.

"Careful, you'll cut yourself," she warned.

"I don't mind a small cut if the jewel behind it is pretty enough," he flirted.

"Suddenly you're so smooth?" she looked at him skeptically.

"Come on, I told you my secret. What's yours? If you don't tell me I'll start guessing. Is it Jane? Louise? Gertrude?"

The woman rolled her eyes.

"Kate," she sighed.

Nikola suddenly deflated.

"As in..."

"Katherine," she sighed.

The name hurt a little as his mind went back mere hours ago to the altercation with his old friend.

"I'm sorry, I should let you get back to work," he backed off.

"Okay. I have never seen hot air fly out of a man so fast because of a name. Is it that much of a turn off?" Kate turned to him.

She was very pretty. Dark medium short hair, she seemed to be about 5'6" in height, she had a New Yorker attitude but a genuine smile that was only slightly crooked, and she was spunky.

Aside from the name she was nothing like Katherine. Katherine Johnson was soft around the edges with a deep warm center, slow and sensual and graceful. This girl was sharp. She was refreshing.

Maybe that was why he was acting like a 24 year old dolt with a hard on.

"It's not you, I've just got to..." he started to excuse himself, sure he'd made enough of a fool of himself today than was necessary, but it struck him. It was just a name, she was just a girl. He hadn't gone on a date in a long time and this girl at least had a personality that was actually rather intriguing. This was Kate, not Katherine. "Would you like to have dinner with me sometime, Kate?" he asked suddenly.

Kate blinked.

"Wow, you're a one man roller coaster in there aren't you?" she eyed him.

"I'm odd, let's put it that way," he shrugged. "Besides, I like you Kate. You're kind of a no nonsense ball breaker and I like it."

Suddenly Kate got a grin Nikola was sure was doing something to his brain.

"Why don't we skip dinner and all that crap and go straight to the dirty business?" she offered and it took Nikola off guard.

"Excuse me..."

She held up a key.

"I have a master key. Pick a room, I'll tell you if it's occupied," she grinned deviously and Nikola grinned back. He knew he liked her for some reason.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola entered his hotel room. His hair stood up at an odd angle and his shirt was untucked, one band of his suspenders hanging loose by his waist the other thrown haphazardly over his shoulder. His breath came out a bit ragged but the grin on his face was nothing if not bemused.

Rudy heard him enter and slowly walked to greet him.

"You look like you've just been smacked by Cupid," Rudy crossed his arms.

Nikola smirked.

"I haven't felt this juvenile since...well, when I was juvenile," Nikola chuckled.

"Wouldn't that interfere with your claim to be celibate?" asked Rudy.

"Nikola Tesla is celibate, luckily she thinks I am Nikola Tesla's lackey. To her, I was a young idiot who looked like he might be a good screw in the closet. I haven't been used like that in ages it was...refreshing," Nikola ran his hand through his hair. "I haven't felt this young in ages."

"And what's brought on this relative fountain of youth, despite you being unable to age," Rudy cackled softly.

The elderly man went to sit down.

"I don't know, it just kind of happened," shrugged Nikola. "I wonder if she'll see me again."

"My, you have perked up," Rudy teased.

"Well, we can't work, now can we?" Nikola defended. "I only claimed celibacy all those years ago so I would be left alone. It was a time I thought I wanted to be left alone. But now...I've seen people die, people I love. People who lived, and loved, screwed around, had meaningless sex and meaningful relationships. And then this maid comes along and she turns me into a juvenile and I...I welcomed it. For a chance to escape."

Nikola looked at the older version of himself and instantly felt a little guilty.

"I'm sorry," he looked down. "You must be thinking I'm some kind of twat for talking like this."

"It's okay. It's nice to see you finally looking happy."

Nikola rolled his eyes.

"I was happy before. Why does everyone think I'm unhappy?" he looked at him earnestly. "Do you really think I'm unhappy?"

"It's true, I've spent the last twenty odd years playing your older self for the public. I've practically given up any chance for a life of my own, but playing you has renewed my sense of purpose. I lost my wife to pneumonia when I was young and she was my life and my livelihood and when you and that Doctor woman found me, homeless and friendless, I had hit absolute rock bottom. I have never regretted it. But knowing someone as intimately as I know you I've learnt to know the difference between when you're sufficed, when you put in a smile, when you've settled with what life had given you, and when you are happy despite of what life has given you. Right now, I could throw you off the roof and you'd get up, wipe the dust off and skip down the street. When you left this morning you were solemn, you had a smile but it held nothing, you looked old...with the eyes."

Nikola nodded.

"I see."

"Whoever this woman is, she's made you sparkle again...in the eyes."

Nikola smirked.

"Thanks Rudy."

"No problem Tesla," he grunted as he got up. "I think I'm going to go for a stroll in the park and feed the birds as it were."

He coughed slightly and Nikola cringed slightly.

"Some fresh air would be good at this point," he reiterated.

"Watch yourself," waved Nikola.

"Don't worry, I'll leave the hair-brained inventions to you, I'm just going to feed the birds," said Rudy as he grabbed his coat and hat and a bag of crumbs and left the apartment.

Nikola bit his lip slightly.

Maybe Rudy was right, maybe it was about time he lived a little. He got up and ran out of the room. He was going to find that young maid again and he was going to ask her to dinner as he originally planned.

He found her down the hall, almost near the elevator.

He rushed towards her.

"Wait!" he called.

She stopped and turned to him.

He reached her.

"Have dinner with me," he stated more than asked.

"What, the little bump together in the supply closet wasn't enough for you?" she scoffed.

"No it was perfect, now I want to see you in a dress," he stated.

"I'm in a dress," she gestured to her uniform.

"A proper dress, a red dress, with some cleavage showing, just for one evening then I'll leave you alone," he smirked and Kate smirked back.

"I get off at around midnight, I won't be in a dress but you can take me anywhere you want."

Nikola smirked.

"I'll see you then," Nikola smirked and then turned back. When he returned to the room the phone was ringing. "Hello," he answered jovially.

"A message was left for Mr. Tesla by a Mr. Johnson," said the concierge. "He wishes to see Mr. Tesla as soon as is convenient."

Nikola bit his lip.

"I will tell him right away, thank you," he hung up the phone and calmed himself down. He straightened out his clothes and grabbed his hat.

He was going to do his best to be as honest as he could with his old friend, he delivered him quite a wallop with his confession that afternoon.

In no less than thirty minutes he was back on Lexington Avenue.

He rang the doorbell and it was opened by Robert's head maid. Then he was shown to the parlor where Robert was waiting for him.

"Thank you Margaret, you can leave now," he dismissed her and she nodded and left quickly.

Nikola swallowed dryly.

Nikola took a hesitant step towards Robert.

"Luka..." Nikola started.

"How long?" asked Robert.

"How long?" Nikola asked back with confusion.

"How long did your affair last?" he asked, his tone was harsh and sharp.

"Oh," Nikola looked down. "Does it really matter?"

"I want to know how long you were sleeping with my wife!" barked Robert.

"On and off...about three years," Nikola said like a guilty man.

Robert sputtered.

"Three years!" he cried.

"In linear terms yes, but we only got together a couple times in that time span," Nikola sighed.

"When?" Robert barked.

"The few times when you were out of town on business and Katherine was lonely, and it wasn't all...like that, most of the time I would just take her out to places. Museums, clubs, restaurants. We went on picnics Robert, it was only on occasion that we...we never...I never meant to hurt you. I broke it off because I, I couldn't live with the fact that if you found out you...you would feel like this."

"Took you three years to build up enough guilt and come to that conclusion did it?"

"I always took her to a hotel, Robert, to a place where we were faceless strangers. I never touched her in this house or in your bed."

"And that makes everything better!" Robert shouted.

"No, I'm sorry! I was a bastard then, I used your charity and your wife. I'm the wife stealing bastard! But I loved you and Katherine, Luka, and I will have to live with my mistakes for the rest of my life! And I have! Why do you think I was away for so many parties Robert!"

Robert finally deflated a little.

"It wasn't us for that first while, Robert, it was like she was someone else and I was someone else as you weren't there and that's why we did it. But eventually I remembered and I couldn't live with myself anymore, because as much as I loved her, Luka I loved you as well, and I was going to ruin you both because of my destructive behavior. That's why I can't take your inheritance, it's why I won't."

Nikola felt exhausted after the speech and Robert was struck silent. Nikola took it as a silent invitation to leave so he walked out.

He decided to walk home.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

He was waiting outside the hotel, dressed from head to foot as he always was, in his best suit.

Fortunately his best suit had seen better days so Kate wouldn't think he was some kind of lovesick playboy. Which he wasn't he was just...intrigued. That was the right word, intrigued.

She was intriguing to him. Young, intelligent, spunky. She was just the thing to clear away some of the cobwebs of his disappointed love life. It wasn't anything serious, just a breath of fresh air.

He sat on the back of the small bench across the street from the Hotel watching the front doors intently.

Even so close to midnight the streets were still whizzing with cars, and the sidewalk still littered with people.

Then there she was, exiting the building. Her short hair was tied into to pig tails and she wore a light blue coat over the skirt and blouse she had changed into.

She had a small bag slung over her shoulder. She was even cuter outside of the maids uniform.

He hopped off the bench and ran towards her when he realized she hadn't seen him.

"Kate!" he called after her.

She turned and give a half-hearted chuckle at him.

"I almost thought you'd have forgotten," she said with a small grin.

"But we made a date," Nikola said sincerely.

Kate laughed.

"So, where are you taking me?" she asked.

"Uh, well, I hadn't really made any plans, other than meeting you," he scratched his head.

"I'm going home," she rolled her eyes and laughed at him.

"Wait!" Nikola held her to stop her from going.

"What is it genius?" she eyed him skeptically.

"Want to go drink wine in the park?" he offered.

" At night?" she asked.

"Why not? No one will disturb us, unless the owls have a problem with us making out underneath their tree."

He gave her a devious grin.

"Where are you going to get wine at this hour of the night?" she put her hands on her hips.

He took one of her hands and led her across the street to the bench he had been sitting on.

"Well, I may have done a little planning," he held up a small basket with a wine bottle and other treats inside.

Kate chuckled.

"A moonlight picnic, on the first date? Aren't you just about shooing for the moon there, Romeo?" she teased.

"Well, technically our first date was this afternoon in the supply closet. I thought at least I'd make it with the trouble," he smirked.

She gave him a look and then matched his grin.

"Lead the way then," she shrugged and he offered her his arm.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

How things tended to escalate around him, he didn't know, nor did he care. All he knew was that one half glass of wine and he was on his back with a gorgeous half naked woman on top of him.

His shirt was pulled out of his trousers and unbuttoned and his suspenders were halfway down his arms. His head rested on a tree root as his hands rested on her waist.

Again the feeling of juvenility washed through him and it was exciting.

They were in the park groping around like first timers.

Again from sitting down under the tree to now he had no idea what had happened that led to this.

He let out a chuckle.

"What are you laughing about?" Kate sat up. She was currently straddling him with her skirt pushed up past her waist and her blouse completely abandoned on the ground beside them.

"Oh nothing, just, not how I pictured this date going," he shrugged.

"How did you picture this date going?" she leaned down and rested her arms on his chest.

"You know, drinking, maybe some kissing, I'd walk you home..."

"Kiss me goodnight," she teased.

"Yes, but you would be so turned on that you would grab me by my tie and drag me upstairs and we would proceed to wear a whole in the floor."

Kate laughed against his chest.

"You've just skipped a few steps, it's kind of funny," he chuckled as well.

"Truth is, I'm not into the whole courtship-marriage thing. Once a girl gets married, that's it, perpetual servitude and baby-making."

"I'm not trying to court you if that makes you feel better. I just enjoyed your company is all."

"It starts out like that but soon it turns into jealousy, you start using terms like my girl, we begin fighting, then screwing, then fighting, then screwing, then I get pregnant, you begin making demands of me, I soon move into a nice flat with you down on the island, then we move to the country. One child becomes three, three becomes six, soon enough we get married just because to hell with it we're stuck with each other and that is so fricking sad we lose complete interest in each other sexually. You begin screwing the neighbors wife and I run away with some burly soldier type and leave you with the six kids, two dogs, pig and horse. The oldest hates you and runs away in the dead of night to join the circus, you begin beating the other five, meanwhile I become a prostitute in the Bronx just to feed myself. It's all really tragic, don't you think?"

Nikola lay there a little gobsmacked at the future Kate had painted for him.

"I, uh, really hadn't thought that far ahead," he mumbled.

Kate leaned down and kissed him.

"That's why I skip the lovey dovey dating and hand-holding and go straight to the fun stuff. We play, we screw, we say goodnight, we end it there, it's simple, it's elegant. No six kids, no countryside manor, and no rings."

Nikola considered what she was saying.

"I can live with that," he nodded.

"I thought you might," her hand reached down and undid his belt. "Plus it's a little exciting isn't it? A public place, anybody could come out for a midnight stroll, it could rain..."

Her words soon became nothing but sounds to his ears.

This woman was dangerous for him, he knew that, she only wanted one thing from him and expected him to deliver with no strings. He hadn't had an offer like that in a long while.

Nikola smirked and grabbed her hips and rolled them over roughly so that he was on top. It didn't last long because soon he was on his back again.

" Nice try," murmured Kate and he chuckled.

"You are rather dominating," he teased.

"I like being on top," she shrugged, maneuvering herself just that little bit that made him see stars.

"Well, I don't want to get dirt on my back," he sat up. "We'll compromise."

Before she could retort he silenced her with his lips.

When he had her reasonably distracted he toppled them over and pinned her to the ground.

"Ugh, you bastard," she growled, trying to feign anger but he could see it in her eyes, this was as fun for her as it was for him.

"Fortunately for me, I don't care what you think," he smirked.

He leant down and kissed her neck a little less-than-tenderly. She made a sound mixed between a growl and a moan.

Suddenly she threw him off her and he whipped onto his back and gasped as the wind was just slightly knocked out of him.

"Fortunately, I can live with that," she straddled his hips again.

He sat up and kissed her again. He was done with the verbal retort. It was all physical now.

They were soon driving each other into a frenzy.

"Hey you there!" a whistle cut through their haze.

"Shit," mumbled Kate. She scrambled off Nikola's lap. "It's the cops."

She grabbed her blouse and her shoes and began running.

Another whistle blew.

"Hey!" shouted the copper.

Nikola got up as well, abandoning the basket and wine bottle and taking off behind Kate.

"Stop! Police!"

Nikola caught up to Kate and grabbed her hand.

"This way," he muttered to her.

Another whistle cut through the night air.

Nikola couldn't help but snicker.

What a state they were in. Unbuttoned and disheveled criminals. It was quite laughable. A relative Bonnie and Clyde, except their only crime was to be entangled together at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The sky cracked with lightning and Nikola looked up while continuing to run. Soon they were covered with a sheet of rain.

Nikola looked behind him at the two or three cops chasing after them and then looked ahead.

He smirked and tugged Kate behind a thicket of trees.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"Shhh," he hushed.

He held her against the trunk of the tree and swiped his damp hair out of his face.

They heard the policemen run past and stop just a few meters from the tree.

"They got away," scowled one of them.

"Stupid young 'uns, have nothing better to do than stay out all night and cause us trouble," growled another.

"Come on, let's get back, they won't be causing us any more grief, I'm getting soaked!" the three officers turned and left.

Once they were gone Nikola let out a breath and laughed.

"Whew," he chuckled. "That was close!"

"Yeah," Kate chuckled as well.

"Do you normally attract such attention?" he teased.

"I don't normally try to do it in the park at midnight," she smirked back.

Nikola smirked.

"I would hope not," he grinned.

He was soaked through. His hair stood on end in wet spikes.

She was in a similar state, with her blouse soaked and wrung around her hands.

"Why, you jealous?" she teased.

"Of course not, I'd just like to think I at least have some degree of originality, if you tell me that every boy under the sun has taken you to that park with a bottle of wine, you might just break my heart," he grinned cheekily.

"Well your heart can rest at ease, most boys take me to the movies," she sighed. "And your the first I've ever done at work if that helps."

Nikola smirked.

"Almost," he leaned in and capture her lips again.

"We're going to get caught again," she smirked as he moved from her lips to her neck.

"Let them," he continued. "It'll be the first time you do it in a jail cell."

"Sadly, it won't," she sighed and and Nikola paused to look her in the eye.

"Well aren't you just full of surprises," he smirked.

"Come on," she grabbed him by the lapel of his shirt and dragged him out from behind the tree.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"No questions," she pulled him out of the park and to the street. She threw her blouse on and buttoned it up expertly.

She hailed a cab and dragged Nikola into it before discreetly giving the driver directions and crawling in the back with him.

"Where are you taking me, Katherine?" the name slipped out and for a moment he didn't see the young woman he had net that afternoon but his old friend, as he remembered her. Soft and beautiful, sweet as honey, a smile like sunshine, and a voice like a swan.

He blinked and it was gone.

Before him was a dripping wet, spunky, danger girl, glaring at him.

"You call me Katherine again and I'll break you," she threatened.

"I could take that so many ways," he grinned mischievously.

She swatted him.

He caught her hand and tugged her on to his lap.

"You Mr. Javor, are dangerous," she teased.

"Because I attract cops?" he grinned.

"Because you enjoy how dangerous I am way too much," she kissed him sloppily.

"The two of us together are practically volatile," he rested a hand on her knee as she kissed his neck.

"Oh definitely," she agreed.

His hand rose a little higher.

"Like mixing vinegar and baking soda," he added.

"Cupcakes?" she sat up and gave him a look.

"Uh, no...nevermind," he chuckled.

She grinned and then grasped his head and pulled him to her.

"Hey! No funny business in my cab!" barked the driver and Kate flew off of Nikola's lap to the seat next to him, using her hand to smother her laugh.

"Sorry, no funny business...nothing funny about it at all," Nikola apologized through fighting his own laughter.

"You're trouble, I like it," Kate snickered.

"So does that mean you'll let me see you again?" asked Nikola.

"I already told you," she sighed.

"Oh right, courtship, country home, six kids, two dogs, I forgot," he snickered.

"Yah, and I'd rather keep my apartment...I rather like it," she gave him a grin.

"Yah well, skip courtship, I just want to get up to trouble with somebody," he smirked. "I've tried the whole courtship, love and devotion thing, it is just as crappy as you think it is. I'm just like you, Kate. I don't want the six kids, the two dogs, the country home, or the rings."

Something in him twisted when he thought about rings. The way that she handed it back to him as if it was cursed. The whole thing would've hurt a lot less if she hadn't given it back to him.

He shook off the thought.

"I just want to screw around," he looked at her with a cheeky grin.

"Now that I can do," Kate leaned over and kissed him soundly.

The car stopped and she pulled him out again. He payed their fare. Soon she was dragging him up the stairs, stopping every once in a while to give him a quick snog.

They finally reached her apartment and he was quickly shoved inside.

They wasted no time in divesting each other of their wet garments. Choosing instead to light a fire and continue their date on the carpet in front of it.

It was mid-morning by the time Nikola waltzed back in through the lobby doors of the Hotel New Yorker. He tipped his hat to Jenny at the front desk, went up 40 floors and entered into room 3327.

The door shut behind him and he fell against it.

"Well look what the cat dragged back," Rudy entered from the bedroom. "It's Casanova himself."

Nikola smirked.

"I had a wonderful evening," he sighed dreamily. "I think I'm in love."

"Oh lord," groaned Rudy.

"Not in love, like in love in love," clarified Nikola. "But she's fun, and exhilarating, and she smells like peaches. I've never net a girl that smelt so profoundly like peaches!"

Rudy let out a grumbly laugh.

" You're head over heels, by god man," Rudy rolled his eyes.

"She's reckless, and careless, and dangerous, and how does she achieve the smell? Like does she rub peaches on herself every morning...oh I'd like to see that."

"Breakfast?" offered Rudy.

"I think every woman should smell like peaches, peaches and...and..."

"Cream?" suggested Rudy, holding up a carton of cream that he was using to pour into his morning tea.

"No, cream is the word I'd use to describe her skin, it's flavor, texture," Nikola sat down at the table whimsically, his head in hands. "Is it possible that she's a goddess sent to tempt me?"

Rudy scoffed.

"I haven't felt like this since...uh, since awhile," Nikola snapped back into reality. "How about you, any news about us?"

Rudy looked down into his teacup before sitting down.

"They're back," he muttered. "I noticed them yesterday when I went for a stroll in the park. I wouldn't be surprised if they are watching us right now."

Nikola looked around warily.

"Well, we'll just have to be extra careful then," he sighed. "Continue as normal. They're most likely waiting for us to do something that will warrant having to make contact. I have a plan in place, don't worry."

Rudy nodded.

"I hope so, cause with my ticker I won't last very long in a prison cell," chuckled Rudy.

Nikola patted Rudy's shoulder.

"It will never come to that, I promise, I won't let it,"

Rudy nodded.

"So when are you seeing Peaches again?" teased Rudy.

"Tonight after her work, and with any luck...maybe tomorrow night as well," Nikola smirked.

"Which reminds me, we got another message from the Johnson fellow," said Rudy and Nikola's smile faltered.

"What did he say?" asked Nikola.

"Well it was all rather vague but he left a telegram for you, read it yourself," Rudy handed him the small letter.

Nikola picked up the telegram and opened it. As soon as his eyes hit the page his heart sank.

He folded it up and scrubbed a hand over his face.

"Probably means nothing," he sighed.

"Alright," Rudy stood up and headed towards the door. "I'm going to take our daily stroll through the park to see the birds."

Nikola waved absently as he chewed his lip in thought.

He wasn't going to think about it, Robert just needed some time to cool down.

He sighed and leant back in his chair. Now, all he needed to do was think about his new great distraction...and where the best place was to buy peaches.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Yay for planning ahead. A quick update, I won't promise that the next one will be as quick but quicker than...well, something.

I know you nervous nellies dislike it when Nikola becomes interested in another woman aside from our beloved Helen, but not to fear, she isn't a permanent replacement, she is just affecting a new side of Nikola that we really haven't seen but i think is apart of his character: The Relentless Flirt.

In the wake of his crushing defeat a few chapters ago, he is now becoming the sweet and seductive genius we know and love. Not just flirting with our dear Helen, but with many women, You can't deny it, you know it's there!


	53. The Death of Luka and Mrs Fillipov (2)

**Chapter 53 - The Death Of Luka and Mrs. Fillipov (Part 2)**

**~~~~August 1937~~~~**

It had only been a week since he'd met her and she had instantly become the most exciting thing in his life.

This was the sixth night they'd been out together. He wouldn't necessarily call them dates, they did a variety of things but at the end of the night it usually wound up with him spread eagle on the floor and her riding him like a derby thoroughbred.

He smirked at the thought of that.

They had been walking down the street aimlessly, deciding what they would try to do next.

They didn't hold hands or link arms, it wasn't their style, they just walked side by side together as they continued down the street.

"Any thoughts?" he broke the silence.

"What can I say? There isn't a lot to do in New York with this Depression, everything costs money," she sighed.

"I have money," Nikola shrugged.

"Yah, but I've already eaten," she sighed. "And I don't want you to buy me anything."

"Okay, okay," he sighed and stopped. "Do we have to do anything? Can't we just...do what we always do?"

He gave her a devious grin.

"What? Like right here?" she grinned back. "On this busy street?"

"I'm sure we could find a way," he maneuvered behind her and pressed himself up behind her back.

His hands went to her waist.

"To anybody else we are watching the stars," he continued and Kate snorted.

"I don't think so...I'm a bit of a screamer," she teased.

"I'll cover for you, you start moaning I'll pretend I'm giving you the Heimlich, you start screaming I'll cry out "Mugger!", you scream my name, I'll say "I'm here!" and act like I'm hard of hearing," he chuckled. It sounded rather ridiculous, even to him.

Kate laughed.

"You're an idiot," she leaned against him. "But you are fun."

"I must be, you keep going out with me," he smirked.

"Have you ever done something...reckless?" Kate asked.

Nikola bit his lip in thought. He as done plenty of reckless things, setting things on fire, chasing after dangerous creatures, jumping in front of loaded weapons, not grounding his coil the first time around...having an affair with his best friend's wife.

"Depends on what you mean by reckless," he answered finally.

"Like rob a store, say that one, the jewelry store next to the hotel," she gestured to the old little shop.

"What are you thinking?" he looked down at her.

"Let's break in and take something," she looked up at him.

"What?" he scoffed.

"Only for the night then return it in the morning before they realize anything has gone missing," she took his hand. "I'll wear it while you..."

Her eyes finished her sentence for her.

Nikola smirked.

"You're just plain trouble," he grinned deviously, taking the opportunity to kiss her.

"Come on, let's do it," Kate smirked and pulled him over.

She grabbed a loose brick from a broken wall in the alleyway and aimed to throw it through the store window.

"No, Kate," he grabbed the brick from her and tossed it away. "We don't need that. If we're going to do this we're going to do it stealthily and with just a bit of cunning."

"Meaning?" she huffed.

"We aren't going to break anything," he said with a small smirk.

He pulled out a pin from Kate's hair.

"Just get me close to the door," he smirked and took her hand, leading her up the four steps to the store's front. He pushed her against the door and began kissing her thoroughly.

With one hand he held her firmly, while the other snuck over to the door handle. He continued to kiss her as he slowly worked the lock open. Once he heard a telling click he stopped, turned the handle, and they slipped in on the other side. It was so quick that Kate barely had time to blink before she was pressed from one side of the door to the other. A little bell welcomed their arrival.

She grabbed the lapel of his jacket and kissed him hungrily.

"That was such a turn on," she growled.

"I aim to please," he nipped at her lip and she pulled away.

"Now, what to steal?" Kate moved around him. "Something that would look good on me, don't you think?"

He went behind her and grabbed her hips.

"By that criteria we would be stealing the entire store," he teased.

She walked out of his grip.

"Then something expensive that looks the best out of all of them," she suggested.

Nikola saw a beautiful diamond necklace in the display.

"That," he pointed to it. "I would like to see you in that."

Kate smiled and went up to the case and admired it.

"It's perfect, how do we get it?" she turned to him and he went behind the case and easily picked the locks and pried the glass open.

He gently lifted the necklace out and brought it over to her.

"Turn around," he ordered softly and she complied.

With deft and nimble fingers he placed the necklace around her and clipped it together. It rested perfectly against her collarbone and made her eyes sparkle.

"There," he sighed, looking at her. "It's perfect."

"It is," she smirked and grabbed his tie, pulling him to her in a softer kiss.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered into his ear seductively.

"And where will we be going?" he grinned.

Kate kept her grip on his tie and pulled him to the door.

"We're going to try this out," a sparkle from the diamonds in the necklace caught in her eye and twinkled its way right to Nikola's gut and punched it.

He pulled his tie out of her grip and went back to the display and closed it then returned to her.

"Don't want to leave a trace, right?" he took her hand.

"Never," she grabbed him by the lapel and dragged him out of the store. The bell chimed behind them.

_**~~~~Summer 1897~~~~**_

Nikola held her gloved hand gently as he led her into the races. It was another one of those places she had never been to and he had convinced her to go.

The white blouse crested just under her chin and she wore a beautiful blue and white embroidered ensemble complete with a fascinator and umbrella. She looked picture perfect stunning.

Nikola wore a light cream suit and brown bowler with a blue cravat to accommodate her.

"Oh Nikki! This is marvelous!" she gasped as they entered the stands at the derby.

She held their ticket tightly in her free hand as they went to find a seat.

"I told you you'd like it," Nikola led her to a seat.

"It's more than I've ever imagined," she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "Look at them, oh aren't they gorgeous?"

"Mrs. Fillipov, you are a married woman!" he admonished.

"I mean the horses you goof," she swatted him and laughed.

"Well they are specially trained champions," he leant back on the bench and through his arm across the back of it behind her shoulders.

She rested a hand on his knee.

Katherine was enthralled by the sights and colors and sounds of the racetrack. She squeezed his knee ever so slightly when something new took her by surprise.

Nikola just sat back and watched her bemusedly as her eyes darted from place to place, trying to take it all in at once.

"Which ones ours?" she asked.

He took the ticket from her hand and read the number.

"Number 27. Lucky Ducky," he answered.

"Oh yes, how adorable," Katherine snickered.

He handed the ticket back to her.

"We're sure to win," he assured her.

"Oh I don't care about that! This is just fun!" she leaned against his arm slightly.

"There you are!" Robert Underwood Johnson entered and handed Katherine a small cup of ice cream with a spoon.

She took it gratefully.

"You guys disappeared so fast I thought you were carried off by horses," he chuckled and sat next to Katherine.

"Well we wanted to find a good seat, you did take a hell of a time choosing which horse to bet on," teased Nikola.

"Yes, number 17, Chernobyll. Sounds like a steady winner. Good odds," he surmised.

"I think Lucky Ducky is going to win, right Nikola?" Katherine interjected.

"I bet money on it, didn't I?" Nikola smirked.

Katherine laughed and turned her attention back to the racetrack.

"Ooh they're starting!" she grasped both Nikola's and Robert's hands.

Nikola and Robert shared a small grin as she stared in amazement.

There was something about this side of Katherine that they both loved.

The horses were released from the gate and began racing around the track. With every passing second Katherine's grip on Nikola's hand got tighter and tighter.

"Lucky Ducky in the lead with Caped Crusader trailing right behind and Chernobyll on the outside!" the announcer came over the microphone.

Nikola laughed as Katherine nearly lifted out of her seat in excitement.

He didn't care much for what the outcome of the race was, he wasn't much of a betting man anyway, he was here to show his friends a good time.

"Ack!" she cried excitedly as the horses crossed the finish line.

"And the winner is Lucky Ducky!" cried the announcer.

She threw her arms around Nikola in elation.

"We won!" she cried.

Nikola laughed.

"We did," he hugged her back before she pulled away and looked at Robert.

"Looks like our choice was the right one," she teased Robert and he chuckled.

"Nikki probably has some kind of scientific method to deduce the best horse," Robert shrugged.

Nikola chuckled. He just liked the number 27.

"What do we do now?" Katherine turned to Nikola.

"We go collect our winnings," said Nikola. "And place bets for the next race."

"Give me the ticket and I'll fetch the winnings. Why don't you take Katherine to go see the stables," suggested Robert.

"That'd be wonderful!" Katherine smiled.

"Just don't spend our winnings on another of your pitiful bets," teased Nikola.

"Yes, don't spend a penny of it," threatened Katherine with a stern and teasing eye.

"I won't, after my luck I don't think it will turn up much of a fortune anyway," he chuckled.

Katherine handed him the ticket and Robert went back to the betting exchange.

Nikola escorted Katherine from the stands to the stables to see the horses. A few pence to the stable boy and they were in.

Katherine stroked the face of the horse dubbed Lucky Ducky, their winning horse.

"He's beautiful," she sighed.

"He is," Nikola leaned against the wood of the stable structure watching her as she petted the animal.

"Thank you so much for convincing Robert and me to coming to this. Robert usually feels he's much to refined for this kind of thing," she chuckled. "It's nice to get out of the house sometime."

Nikola shrugged.

"It's no problem," he smirked.

"The three of us hardly do as much outings as we used to," she sighed again.

"Robert's been busy," Nikola defended his friend, keeping his distance from the beautiful woman.

"So have we," she turned to him with a knowing grin.

Nikola smirked slightly.

"I've missed you," she stepped away from the horse. "The last time we were alone together was..."

"I know," he interrupted. "I've been working. I haven't had a lot of time to get away, even for such wonderful company as you."

Katherine stepped up to him and kissed him tenderly. The kiss lasted a few seconds before Nikola broke it, pushing Katherine away.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to do that since you walked in the door this morning. With Robert away for a moment I couldn't put off the opportunity," she said with a small hint of pink in her cheeks.

Nikola smiled slightly but kept his distance.

"Robert and I were thinking of taking a trip up to our cabin next week for a few weeks. We were thinking of inviting you," she turned back to the horse.

"Well I'm flattered but..."

"Please come Nikki, you've been wearing yourself out with all the work you do, come out with us," he turned back to him and took his hands. "I couldn't spend two weeks away from you."

Nikola sighed and kissed her lightly.

"I can't," he whispered to her.

She kissed him back.

"A small break, that's all it is, your work won't blow away the moment you turn away from it, bring it with you if you must," she cupped his cheeks in her hands.

"But Luka..."

"Robert would be thrilled. He's always talking about you coming out to the country with us for a spell. Please," she gave him the sweetest look she could manage but he shook his head.

"I don't know, I..." he suddenly removed her hands from his face and completely straightened up.

Robert entered.

"Ah, there you are," he smiled at them. "I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"

Katherine smiled at him.

"Not at all, I was just telling Nikola about our plans to head to the country," she said.

"Ah yes, the invitation is extended to you of course," he smiled at Nikola and Nikola smiled back weakly.

"I don't think I can get away at this point in time," he started.

"Nonsense, it's only a few weeks, and Katherine and I will manage to keep you occupied for that time," he clapped Nikola's shoulder. "Come on, Nikki. We might never get this chance again."

Nikola sighed and looked at both of them.

"Fine, I guess I can bring my work with me. A change of scenery might be just what I need," he shrugged.

Katherine threw her arms around him in an excited and quick hug, pecking his cheek briefly.

"Marvelous!" she cried.

Robert chuckled.

"We'll make plans then. Excellent!" he clasped Nikola's hand tightly. "Now, we should place our bets before the race begins."

Nikola nodded.

"Yes, we should," he released his friend's hand.

Katherine and Robert walked out of the stables arm-in-arm, heading to the exchange.

Nikola let them go on ahead of him, instead choosing to pet the muzzle of the lucky horse he had bet on.

"Maybe some if your luck will rub off on me," he said to the majestic animal.

"Nikki! Are you coming?" Katherine had returned for him.

"Of course, sorry," he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hurry up silly," she teased and left again with a small giggle.

Nikola let out a sigh and give one last look to the horse before following the beautiful woman out.

_**~~~~August 1937~~~~**_

Nikola walked down the street with a spring in his step. The night he had just had, had been exciting to say the least. Not only had it been dangerous and adventurous, but also when Kate got him to her apartment it became hot and sensual. He still had the image of her wearing nothing but the glimmering piece of stolen property around her neck and how much that had fed him animalistically.

There was something about her that brought out his adolescent recklessness; something he hadn't really felt in a long time and it was like an escape, from everything.

He looked down at the small package in his hand with a smirk.

Of course, as soon as he stepped out of her apartment he was his normal old responsible self.

He had enough on his plate without adding a robbery to it.

Kate hadn't even been awake. He got up at the crack of dawn and carefully removed the delicate jewelry from around her neck, paid her a few sweet kisses, she barely stirred, wrapped up the necklace and then headed on his way.

He arrived at the steps to the small store. The owner was just walking up the staircase to unlock the front door, that's how early it was.

Nikola improvised a quick plan and ran up to the steps.

"Excuse me!" he called to the storeowner.

"Yes?" the old man looked up from his key ring.

Nikola held out the package.

"Is this 3516?" Nikola asked.

The man nodded.

"This was accidentally delivered to my door, mail boy must've read the address wrong," Nikola said as earnestly as possible. "I thought is drop it off, your store's on my way."

The man looked at the label on the package and screwed his face up slightly. It was the address of his store, but he had no idea who would send it to him.

"Thank you," he took the package from Nikola.

"No problem," Nikola tipped his hat and walked away.

The old man shrugged and entered his store, the door chiming as he walked through the threshold.

He opened the package nimbly with one hand as the other tried to divest him of his coat. He managed to get it on the coat rack and open one corner of the nearly wrapped box.

With both hands free he unwrapped the rest of the package much easily. He pulled put the small little box and shook it gently. There was something inside.

He opened the box and gasped as he saw the contents. Amongst the shredded newspaper was a necklace, his necklace. His eyes immediately darted to he display case where he saw, for the first time, the empty display.

His eyes shot back to the box and then he suddenly darted of the store.

"Sir!" he called.

But the strange deliveryman of this package had gone.

~~~~Later~~~~

Rudy was making soup. His favorite: vegetable.

Nikola crawled around the apartment looking for holes while pretending to look for something else.

Rudy claimed he heard the distinct sound of an old hand drill chewing through plaster and wood. He was convinced they were spying on him again. He had heeded Nikola's advice and pretended to remain unaware and in character. They used code words to communicate which ended up sounding like Rudy was mentoring Nikola instead of telling him they were being spied upon.

Nikola was pretending to look for the old man's glasses while the old man made soup.

He didn't see any suspicious new holes yet.

"Nope, can't find them," he said, finally standing up.

"Nowhere to be found?" asked Rudy.

"Nowhere, but they're probably in the last place you look," Nikola subtly gestured to a slight crack in the wall next to the corner.

Rudy nodded and continued stirring the soup.

Nikola sat at the table casually.

"Vegetable soup again?" he asked.

"'Bout the only thing I can eat any more," Rudy chuckled.

"How sad," Nikola muttered.

"Could be worse, could be eating spam," Rudy poured a small bowl and set it in front of Nikola. "At least vegetables have flavor."

"True," Nikola smirked and twirled his spoon in the bowl absently.

"Are you going out with the girl again tonight?" asked Rudy.

"No, she has the graveyard shift because one of the maids caught the flu and she's covering for her, so I'll have to entertain myself tonight," Nikola sighed.

"You could always go for a walk on the park, feed the pigeons," suggested Rudy.

"As much as I enjoy feeding pigeons I enjoy her just as well. Last night, oh, the things we did," Nikola sighed whimsically.

"I don't need a description," Rudy rolled his eyes.

He set his bowl down on the table and sat down across from Nikola.

"I know, but still, it was wild," Nikola chuckled.

Rudy ate his soup without answering him.

"A nice escape from all the crap that goes around here," Nikola grumbled.

"It's not that bad," shrugged Rudy. "Keeps me busy."

Nikola gave a look to his older self.

"Seriously? You enjoy it?" he asked skeptically.

"I'm sorry, I don't have a young wild child who smells like peaches to amuse myself, I have to take it where I can get it," Rudy teased.

Nikola laughed.

"Now eat your soup," ordered Rudy.

"Yes sir," Nikola smirked.

He took one bite of the soup and pushed it away in disgust.

"I hate soup," he grumbled.

A ring at the telephone brought him out of his pouty state.

"Ooh, must be the front desk," Nikola spring over to answer it.

"Tesla's room, this is not him speaking," Nikola said rather whimsically.

A giggle erupted over the phone. Oh Jenny.

"A message came for Mr. Tesla from his friend Mr. Johnson again...would you like to come get it?"

Nikola smirked at Rudy who continued to eat his soup uncaring.

"I'd be delighted, be right down," he hung up the phone.

"You're not going to go find some entertainment are you?" asked Rudy.

"Of course not, I'm only going down there to receive a message, Jenny is a harmless little giggly butterfly, I'll be back before you know it," he opened the door and quickly sauntered out. He was in a weirdly good mood today.

He smirked. Possibly because he could still see the sparkled in Kate's eye as he...

Ding!

He reached the elevator and hopped inside.

"Where to?" asked the bellboy.

"Reception," said Nikola with a wide grin.

He reached the ground floor in short time exiting out of the elevator and heading towards the front desk.

"Hello beautiful," he said as he approached Jenny.

She giggled and blushed a bit before handing him the neatly folded message. He reached for it and she held it out of his reach just long enough to press a deep red lip kiss to its paper.

Nikola smirked.

"Thank you Jenny," he took the message from her.

"You should drop by more often Mr. Javor," she flirted and Nikola smirked.

"I'm here all the time," he stroked a finger teasingly under her chin. "You just got to know where to look."

What was he doing? He was turning hormonal!

He shook his head and stood up straight.

"Later Jenny," he took his message and turned to see a rather unimpressed Kate glaring at him.

He smiled sheepishly.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

He came up to her as she was standing at the elevator.

"Javor," she greeted coldly.

"Hi Kate," he waved at her.

"So, did you make plans with Jenny for tonight, or is he mainly for weekends?" asked Kate.

"Oh that...it's not what it looks like..." he said lamely.

"Of course it doesn't," Kate entered the elevator with her cart and she him daggers with her eyes.

"Hey, it was nothing. And it's not like we're going steady...or whatever the new term they're using is. You said it yourself, no relationship, no jealousy, no six kids," he defended.

The bellhop stayed conveniently quiet.

"Jealous? Who's jealous? I never said I was jealous. I was referring to they way you blatantly tried to screw her with your eyes in such a public fashion. I'm kind of embarrassed to be seen with you right now."

"I wasn't...it was...this isn't even my letter, she's been flirting with me for ages, I've never...I will never. Kate..." he sighed. "If you don't want me to flirt with someone else, just say so."

"No, we agreed. No relationship, no problems. Six kids and all," she sighed.

"Kate," he grasped her hand lightly. "I was thinking of you...with Jenny. I honestly was. I haven't gotten you out of my mind since last night. I can still see the sparkle..." his hand drifted across her clavicle just barely before the elevator dinged again and Kate quickly marched out.

Nikola handed the bellhop a few extra coins.

"This is to keep your mouth shut," instructed Nikola. The bellhop nodded. "Kate!"

He followed her out.

"You are sending some very mixed signals here," he grasped her hand.

"What the hell do you mean?" she yanked her hand out of his.

"You are saying one thing but acting another," he clarified.

"Come again?" she glared at him.

"Well, you say you're not jealous but your actions clearly state that you want...more," Nikola watched her face drop slightly. "Tell me what you want me to say, Kate."

**_~~~~Later~~~~_**

Nikola looked up at the ceiling of the room in the New Yorker. How these things happened to him so quickly he would never wrap his head around. All he really understood was the gorgeous dark haired brunette lying nakedly against him.

"Do you do this often?" he teased looking at her.

"What? Take strange men into empty hotel rooms and ride them like a thoroughbred?" she teased. "Do you really want to know?"

"No, not really," he smirked and stroked a hand through her medium short hair. "What does this mean for us now?"

Kate sat up slightly and ran a hand lightly down his chest.

"It means that we carry on just like before, only you don't flirt with that flimsy blonde anymore, and I don't offer room service," she chuckled.

"So we're screwing around exclusively?" he gave her a look and she nodded. "I can live with that."

He rolled over so that he was on top of her and kissed her soundly.

"I'm going to miss you tonight though, so many fantasies about you and jewelry," he smirked.

"Well you're going to have to save them for later," she kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I could leave you a dirty note to hold you over till later."

Nikola chuckled then froze.

"The note!" he sprung out of the bed and began fumbling around for his trousers.

"Where's the fire?" she teased.

"This note, I need to get back to Rud- I mean Mr. Tesla," he nearly jumped into each pant leg.

He scurried over and gave her one last kiss.

"I'm sorry I have to cut our little reprieve short," he threw on his undershirt and white button down. His suspenders were thrown haphazardly over each shoulder. "But I've got to go."

"Try explaining the lipstick kiss embedded on the front," she teased.

Nikola smirked.

"Some things are better left to the imagination," he fixed his hair quickly then headed to the door, only to run right back and grasp her head to give her one very last and thorough kiss. "Later."

He ran out to head back to room 3327.

He was met with a rather disapproving glare.

"Please don't tell me you slept with the giggly one," Rudy said unamusedly.

"No, I didn't sleep with the giggly one, I slept with Peaches," he smirked. "The same one."

"Why don't you two just get married and save us all the trouble," sighed Rudy.

"Because, once she figures out that I'm an 81 year old vampire scientist that won't age and will never die, she might see that as a bit of a turn off," sighed Nikola.

"And maybe she'll die from congenital heart failure long before then," Rudy joked darkly.

"Besides, neither of us want that," he sighed. He fished the note out of his pocket.

Rudy eyed the lipstick stick on the back of it.

Nikola ignored the glare.

"I wonder what Robert wants from me," he sighed, his tone shifting. He read the note. "He wants me to meet him tonight, at the park."

Nikola puzzled over that.

"What for?" he asked aloud.

"A gentlemanly heart to heart," suggested Rudy.

"Doubtful," shrugged Nikola.

"Fine then, a gentlemanly duel to the death," Rudy rolled his eyes.

"Closer," Nikola tapped his chin with his fingers. "I have to go anyways. If only to see him again."

Nikola sighed. He'd missed the company of his old friend and his wife but he would have to jump through a lot of hoops before Robert would forgive him for what he'd done.

"Luckily I have no plans. So tonight, you'll stay in and lie low, I'll dawn the grey hair and fake wrinkles and go out to feed the pigeons."

Rudy nodded.

"Suits me," he shrugged.

"Ok, and... stay away from the wall," he gestured slightly with his head.

"I dealt with that already. Made a complaint that I thought there were rats chewing through my wall and the infestation was coming from next door, made a big bluster about it to, you'd have been proud," smirked Rudy.

"Rudy, you may not be the smartest man I've ever met but this proves that there's sneaky little streak of genius running through," smirked Nikola patting his friends shoulder.

"I've been your roommate for a decade or so, I should have picked up something during that time," smirked Rudy.

He coughed raggedly and Nikola cringed.

"I'm going to lie down if I'm being given the day off," sighed Rudy.

"Good idea," Nikola nodded. Watching with a twisting gut as the old man hobbled over to the bed and strained to sit down and swing his legs over.

Nikola never wanted to age. He looked at himself in the mirror.

He guessed he lucked out in that respect. He never would. He wished he could do the same for people like Rudy or Kate.

He smirked.

He would enjoy having Kate around for a while. Just the way she was.

He shook his head.

It was probably best this way. His punishment for immortality, having to sea while mortal loved ones either and die.

Nikola headed to the bathroom and flicked on the light. He was going to meet Robert in the park tonight around midnight as per his request. It would take all that time to effectively age himself.

It was about a quarter to eleven when he finally stepped out of room 3327. He brought his collar up and he held the bag of crumbs in plain sight. He walked with Rudy's spare cane. He wore his hat low and walked steadily, ignoring everyone as he reached the lobby.

He reached the front step of the hotel and took a deep breath of fresh night air before stepping down the low steps.

He adjusted his coat and fixed his hat. The street was abandoned aside from a few taxis driving back and forth.

He started walking towards the park.

There was a commotion down the street.

"Out of my way!" a voice barked, throwing then driver from his seat.

Nikola stopped.

Was that?

"Hey! Hey! That's my cab!" cried the driver. The engine was already started and the cab was soon heading straight for him.

"Luka?" Nikola asked, unsure, he'd never seen his friend like this, it was like he was possessed.

The car kept coming towards him showing no signs of stopping and Nikola calculated its trajectory.

"Robert! Stop!" he cried, his feet taking more than necessary to receive the message to move.

The next thing he knew he was sprawled out on the road, a fair distance from the car. He felt blood trickling down his face and could feel several bones out of joint or even broken.

Suddenly a hand yanked him up, and Nikola fought unconsciousness.

"Was it worth it?" Robert cried. "Screwing my wife, was it worth it?"

Robert kept his voice hushed but he shook Nikola forcefully.

"I loved her more than anything! I loved you more than anything, and this is how you repay my friendship. Three years of lies."

Nikola groaned painfully. He knew what Robert was saying but couldn't form the words.

"I wanted to kill you, Nikola, my dearest friend, you! I wanted you dead, to pay. To feel just as betrayed as I feel!"

He punched Nikola hard in the face.

"She was my wife, Nikola...she was the woman I loved...why'd it have to be you that stole her from me. It should've been me," he threw Nikola to the ground and Nikola fell back with a groan.

Robert handed the cab driver a wad of cash before dashing off into the park.

"He won't get away with this," said the driver leaning down next to Nikola. "I'll call the cops, they'll catch him in an instant. I'll get you to a doctor."

"No!...I'm fine," Nikola sat up. It merely caused some customary bruises and upset my digestion a bit," he said quickly. "I've suffered worse."

"Are you sure?" asked the driver. "You were knocked pretty far."

"I said I'm fine!" snapped Nikola.

"Geez," the driver backed off and headed to his car.

Nikola picked up Rudy's cane and leaned on it heavily as he walked back to the hotel.

"Mr. Tesla, are you ok?" Jenny ran up to him to help him to the elevator.

"Jenny, be a dear and have a bottle of wine sent up to my room please," said Nikola as he walked past. "Just leave it by the door, I'll have Javor bring it in," Nikola made it to the elevator and rested against the wall. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the streaks of blood off his face.

He reached room 3327 and entered shutting the door behind him.

When he got there he pried his shirt open, seeing where his rib was bulging out where the car ha initially hit him. He cracked it in place with pain yelp, he back slamming against the door.

He also grabbed his knee and cracked it back slightly. The sound was sickening and the wave of pain cases him to collapse on the floor.

He slid belly down on the ground as he fixed another rib with a sickening click. He vamped out and howled slicing his long talons across the floor.

One last adjustment and it was all gone and he lay on the floor breathing heavily. The tears threatening to spill not because of the pain. Because he had hurt someone he deeply wished he hadn't.

He had broken Luka and Mrs. Fillipov.

What he saw tonight wasn't a man who was slightly upset because his best friend had lied to him, it was a man whose entire life was shattered because of one secret, his secret.

And he didn't even have the decency to love Katherine the way she deserved. He just slept with her, and that was the sad part.

He really was a bastard.

He hoisted himself to his feet.

"Rudy," his voice was thick and raspy. "I'm okay. Sorry if I..."

He stepped into the bedroom and froze.

Rudy was lying in the bed, eyes closed, a bloody handkerchief clutched in his left hand resting on his chest.

The pale hue of death colored his skin. Lifeless and blue.

Nikola clutched his heart, feeling some kind of attack come over him, a panic attack or maybe this is what happens when the heart has too much sorrow that it can't handle it.

He fell back against the wall.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He felt more pain as he crumbled to the ground.

He crawled over to the bed and draped the sheet over his friend's dead body.

"Maybe you didn't know," he sighed.

He sat on his knees and clasped his hands together, praying. He felt it was necessary.

The smell of death around him was frightening and he felt himself turn, a prickling and icy sensation crawling up his arm.

This almost felt like his initial transformation, all these emotions, and sensations, the pain...it was crippling.

He took in a deep breath and stood up. Hardening himself to it.

He looked down at Rudy's body and knew what he had to do.

He grabbed the old man's coat off the rack and threw it over his shoulders roughly.

He wiped the makeup out of his hair and the wrinkles off his face. He slicked his hair back and grabbed a roll of twine from his desk. Carefully wrapping his friend in the sheet he was lain in and tying it up neatly.

He grabbed some extra sheets and towels to make it look more like a laundry pile and headed out the door carrying his lookalike in his arms. He would find a good place for him. Somewhere in the park, near the pigeons.

It was one of the hardest nights he thought he had ever endured.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Sorry about that...it's a bit tragic...but i threw in a little fun so it should be ok :) Right? *backs away slowly*


	54. The Death of Luka and Mrs Fillipov (3)

**Chapter 54 - The Death of Luka and Mrs. Fillipov (Part 3)**

One box.

That's all it took was one box.

Rudy lived in this apartment, down every waking moment of his life for the past decade in these walls, and the total of his stuff in this apartment, items that were truly his, fit into one box. One shoebox.

A picture, a ladle, and a bar of soap. That was it.

The picture was of a woman. Someone long dead, the love of his life he had once recounted, died of an illness long ago, and since then he had nothing to live for, no family, no friends, just a crazy genius and his pigeon coop.

Nikola glared at the box.

What was he going to do without that old creep to keep him company?

He sighed. He was sitting at the kitchen table with the box sitting in front of him.

He had been sitting there for...god knows how long...fine, 4 hours, 26 minutes, and forty-two second. He was counting, alright!

He shoved the box further away.

His ribs were still sore from the crash, despite being full healed they creaked in protest and he groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face.

Why did this always happen to him?

He got up and grabbed his coat and left the apartment in a quick dash. He needed some fresh air.

He was at the park in a flash, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

It was cool for summer and the air nipped at his cheeks, the wind blowing his hair out of formation.

Why did nothing cooperate when he wanted to?

"Hey you with the hair!" a voice called.

He spun around ready to give whoever a scathing retort but it fell on his tongue as he recognized the face it belonged to.

"Long time no see," Kate was sitting on a bench and smiling.

"I've been busy," he looked down. Crap, crap, crap! He didn't need this right now.

"I half thought I scared you off," she said jokingly but he detected the frail vulnerability in her voice.

"Oh no...no, no, no, it's...it's just been hard to get away, what with the accident and everything..."

"How is Mr. Tesla?" she asked.

"Better, a bit grumpy, but alive, I guess that means something."

She laughed dryly and approached him.

"I've missed you," she said. Darn she looked cute with her short hair and the blue coat she had over her uniform.

"I...missed you too," he said sheepishly, what else was he going to say? I haven't actually thought about you in the last week or so. She'd probably kill him.

"Do you possibly want to...grab a cup of coffee or something?" she asked.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola was slammed against the wall of Kate's small apartment.

Her knees were brought up around his waist her tights ripping with a lustful tear. She was half climbing on him half grinding against him and he did his best to keep her from falling to the hard oak floor.

His messy hair was made even more wild by her desperate fingers, and another tear could be heard as her nylons tore to shreds under the crude position.

In a quick move he turned her over so her back was against the wall, and soon had her neck locked in his teeth.

He didn't see her lower one leg as he was too busy removing her uniform's metal snaps. Brilliant invention they were.

Suddenly a firm kick to the chest had him flying backwards, he almost lost his footing as he stumbled to regain equilibrium, managing to catch himself on one knee.

"You're rough tonight," he chuckled.

Kate pushed off the wall and grabbed his head and yanked it to her lips. Now she had him on his knees, arms crawling around for purchase on her soft body, not knowing where to hold her or where to touch her. Before he could she broke the kiss and stepped out of his embrace, giving him a warning to stay back as she slowly unsnapped each metal fastener from her uniform and then with a flourish shrugged it off her shoulders.

She winked and ripped off what was remaining of her black nylons and then strutted to stand behind him.

She reached around him, her head coming to rest by his ear as her hands went to the buttons of his shirt and began slowly undoing them.

"Admit it, you like a bit of foreplay."

"I never said I didn't," he turned his face to hers but she straightened up just in time, with one tough yank she pulled the shirt off leaving him in his undershirt.

She got on her knees behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist while grinding her pelvis into his rump.

The gurgle that escaped his throat was nothing short of satisfying.

"If you move your arms I will bite you," she threatened and he purred his approval.

"Giving me incentive," he teased.

She reached his belt buckle and began undoing it.

"Just a warning," her eyes glinted with mischief.

He grinned back at her and captured her lips in a strong kiss. She broke it quickly.

"Watch yourself," she warned again.

"You said arms, you never said I couldn't kiss you," he grinned cheekily.

"You will be deducted points for cheekiness," she teased, her hand reaching inside his pants.

A moment later his eyes rolled and he let out a delicious groan that had Kate biting her lip.

His torso rocked back into her as if being hit by a wave, his head leaning back to rest on her shoulder.

"Tease," he choked out and her hand slipped out of his pants and dragged her nails up his torso.

"You love it," she said huskily.

His undershirt was being dragged up, revealing his bare stomach to her.

He looked down, his body still twitching at her aggressive power over him.

"We're never making it to the bed are we?" he looked over to her with a devious grin. She matched it with one of her own.

She shoved him to the floor and straddled his hips from behind, keeping his face to the wood. Her teasing fingers scraped his undershirt up revealing his back. Smooth and soft, just like she remembered it.

The back of his neck lay exposed and she took the opportunity to lean down and bite it firmly. Nikola grunted and his hips dug into the floor at the move.

She sat up again and slid her other hand behind her over his ass and between his legs slipping underneath.

Nikola groaned again.

His hips jerked up and she smiled in glee at his reaction. Oh she loved the things she could do to him.

Oh, it had been too long since the last time, she wanted to make him pay for making her wait.

Her hand retreated back to her side, with one quick maneuver of her legs she rolled him over to face was almost comical how his eyes seemed to boggle around in their sockets before they focused on her.

His smile was more of a small smirk but she leaned down and kissed him softly in stark contrast to how she'd been treating him so far.

He arched up into her kiss, and he let out another sensual gurgle in the back of his throat.

She broke the kiss and leaned her head on his chest.

His arms moved around her and held her to him.

"That was payback," she muttered.

"For what?" he asked breathlessly.

"For letting me think you weren't interested," she said honestly.

"I would never," he smirked.

"Good," she laughed and stood up walking away to the door of her bedroom. "Well come on, I have work in a few hours, I would like you to be naked before then."

She sashayed her hips a little as she went inside and Nikola groaned again.

Yes, he was definitely the luckiest bastard this side of the continent.

He quickly sprung to his feet and followed her, removing his shoes as he walked. He stopped when he noticed his tie lying on the floor. He smirked and picked it up.

"This time, I'm the one on top," he called after her.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola and Kate emerged from the apartment building a few hour later. All dressed and proper looking. She wore a new pair of not ripped nylons and her coat was covering her uniform once again.

He hasn't quite gotten to buttoning his jacket up, but his hair was straightened and he wore the biggest boyish grin across his face.

She was nothing but dark hair and a newspaper to him, two peering eyes watching the couple from across the street.

Kate locked the door. She was talking about something she couldn't quite make out.

Nikola pulled Kate to him and kissed her passionately.

She had to clench her jaw to keep from squeaking.

Nikola looked like he had when she first met him, if a little less stiff. He clasped Kate's hand and they strolled down the street laughing and teasing and tickling.

She put the newspaper down and sucked in a deep breath. It was foolish to think that he would just be waiting for her, pining for her.

She stood up and casually began walking behind them. Keeping him in her sights at all times.

He was beautiful. His smile wide and teeth sparkling. His lean torso showing through his still unbuttoned jacket. He was at his most handsome, carefree and in love.

She knew what that looked like, she'd seen it on him before...though it had never been this carefree. I guess she had never let him, she had always given him rules and conditions, where Kate let him love her unconditionally.

She remembered his recounting of this tale and she realized it was up to her to restore balance, if she didn't the whole future would change and that meant she had to break his heart. She always had to break his heart. Just once she wished she could be the one to pick up the pieces, but that was his job.

She broke things and he tried as hard as he could to glue things back together.

That was how things were going to play out forever with them.

She looked over at them. They had stopped to share another kiss.

Helen felt the sky break and a sudden onslaught of rain came toppling on all three of them.

She quickly held the newspaper over her head for shelter.

Kate only laughed and continued kissing a slowly drenching Nikola, who wrapped his arms around her and twirled them playfully under the rain.

She just felt cold

The continued walking, occasionally stopping and peeking through store fronts for a second then going on until they reached the front step of the Hotel New Yorker, the rain ceasing though it was too late for Nikola's hair.

He leaned down and kissed her one last time before tapping her on the butt and watching her go inside.

She shook off the wet newspaper in her hand and ran a hand through her damp locks.

She looked up and Nikola caught her eye. Crap.

She quickly turned and walked as casually as she could into the park then quickly hid in a bush.

Moments later his footsteps came thumping over the wet ground stopping when he lost sight of her.

She kept her breathe steady, knowing if she made any deep breaths his vampire hearing would pick it up. He was so close.

His hair was wet and spiking an framing his face handsomely.

The long grey peacoat went down about mid-thigh, the sash hanging by the side. His shirt was half unbuttoned making his neck look longer against the dark collar of his coat. He was downright delectable like this and she bit her lip slightly.

He looked around, confused, a hand coming up to scratch his already shaggy head. He looked around again, but there was nothing for him to see.

He shrugged then left.

She let out the breath she'd been holding in, a hand coming to her head as she sat further on her haunches. She scrubbed a hand over her face. That had been too close.

After a moment she got out of the bush and straightened herself out.

She looked up at the tall hotel building and let out a sad sigh.

She hoped he never found out she had a part in this.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Nikola strutted into the hotel lobby straight to the concierge desk.

"Any messages for me Jenny?"

She looked up at him unimpressed.

"No."

He smiled anyways.

"You should get that frown looked at, I think you're smiler is broken."

She sneered at him and he waltzed away.

Better not provoke the bear.

The elevator ride was quick and he was soon on his level, sashaying to his room.

He danced with the chambermaid in the hallway and she laughed, smacked his chest with a laugh and went back to her duties.

Nikola was finally starting to feel...happy, he supposed. This was what being in love was supposed to feel like wasn't it.

He sighed as he entered the empty apartment. For some reason it didn't feel as lonely as it used to.

He shrugged his damp jacket off and ran to the bathroom to grab something to dry his hair with.

By the time he re-emerged with a towel around his neck his phone was ringing.

"Yes," he answered in his Tesla voice as he was accustomed to.

"A message for you at the concierge desk Mr. Tesla," came Jenny's overly professional voice over the line.

"Thank you Jenny, I will send Javor immediately," he answered.

"Take your time," she said unamusedly before she hung up.

Nikola chuckled. Green did not look good on her, especially now that Kate has taken a rather public claim to him. Jenny was less than pleased with that apparently.

He chuckled, he didn't care. Jenny wasn't his type anyways. It was all rather amusing to him.

He swiped the towel over his head a few times before folding it up and grabbing his coat again. He was a tad hungry, he figured he might as well grab a bite at the small diner down the block if he was going down to have to run down and get this message anyways.

He was back in the main floor in a couple of minutes, leaning against the concierge desk with a smile.

"I hear you have a message for me," he grinned at Jenny and she glared at him.

"For Mr. Tesla," she scowled and handed him the small envelope.

"A telegram, how exciting, I'll make sure he gets it, thank you Jenny."

"I hope you get hit by a car," she smiled sweetly but her tone was all venom.

He sighed and leaned down.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea you were interested...but I had no intention to lead you on," he whispered to her.

"I'm not interested, I just think you and the little chambermaid have no discretion, it's disgusting, even if you stopped seeing her this moment I've seen what you truly are and it disgust me," she dismissed him with a derivative sniff.

He shrugged, well, at least he tried.

He stuffed the telegram in his pocket then headed out the hotel again.

Once he was a considerable distance he took the telegram out and unfolded it, reading it casually.

Suddenly he paused and grasped the telegram tighter.

Not now, not now, it wasn't possible. Anything but this.

He was suddenly shooting a hand up to hail a cab and climbing in, hastily given the driver directions and stuffing the note in his pocket.

He didn't notice the brunette with the newspaper watching from afar.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Nikola knocked on the door on Lexington Avenue.

Worry painted his features and creased his brow.

The door opened and he pushed past the maid that had showed up to greet him. He ran past her and up the stairs to the room he knew he'd be in.

There he was, sickly, how long had it been, 2 weeks? It looked like he had lost over thirty pounds since then. His cheeks hollow, the skin almost falling away, the hands just shaking where they lay at his sides.

Nikola was at his side in a flash.

"Luka," he said softly.

Robert cracked his eyes open at the name.

"Nikola...I..."

"Shh, you don't have to say anything," he whispered. "I forgive you, for everything, and I'm sorry."

Robert let a tear escape.

"I was just so angry Nik, I was burning alive and I...I thought if I...I didn't mean to hurt you," he sobbed.

"I'm fine, really, look at me, right as rain," Nikola gestured to himself and move himself around to bit to show he wasn't in pain. "It's me who has done the most hurt. I should've never allowed Katherine to get that close. I used her, I indulged her but I did not love her, and I didn't think about you until it was too late."

"I neglected her, it stands to reason that a younger more exciting man would capture her fancy," he sighed. "She thought the world of you, right up until the last hour."

"I know," Nikola looked down. "I just wish I reconciled a fraction of that. She was always Mrs. Fillipov to me, I loved her as that. Just as I love you Luka."

"Why do you keep changing, Nik?" Robert grasped Nikolas hand. "One moment you're old and the next you're young. How is it possible?"

"I'm immortal Robert, I'll never age and I'll never die," Nikola whispered to his old friend.

"Really?"

Nikola nodded.

"Unfortunately I have no miracle cure for you, or else if have both you and Katherine back here to be my best friends for eternity," Nikola smiled. "Your friendship has truly meant the world to me."

They smiled at each other and Nikola squeezed the frail hand gently.

"I miss her, but I know she'd never talk to me up there if I didn't make my peace with you. Her last wishes were for me to look after you."

"You can tell her that I'm doing all right. That I'm finally happy," Nikola smiled. "There's this girl...she's...I don't know, she's something else. She'll be looking after me for quite some time before I'm ready to give her up."

Robert chuckled.

"She'll be glad to hear it, she always hated to think of you being alone."

"I think she hated the thought of anyone being alone," Nikola chuckled

"That too," Robert laughed until he started coughing.

Nikola's smile dropped into concern until his friend began to relax again.

"I think I'm ready to lay this old body down," Robert sighed.

Nikola nodded sadly.

"That whole thing...my anger...took whatever I had left right out of me," Robert continued. "I could've killed you, if you weren't...must be a result from working with all that electrical stuff, isn't it?"

Nikola chuckled.

"Something like that," he nodded, still clasping his old friends hand. "Luka..."

"Nikki..."

"Apologize to her for me," Nikola whispered. "Wherever she is just...just let her know I'm sorry and that I love you both very much."

Robert smiled warmly.

"As we loved you," he sighed. "Now get out, give an old man his rest."

Nikola stood up with a chuckle.

"The family is coming in tomorrow and they still expect me to be alive, I don't suspect I'll see you till the funeral," Robert groaned and pulled the covers up to his chin. "If I'm going to suffer through a whole day of crying and paper signing, I should a least do it with a full nights rest."

"If you need me at all, don't hesitate to ask," Nikola squeezed Luka's shoulder one last time.

"Nah, I won't bother with a busy genius like you," Robert muttered sleepily.

Nikola got to the door and turned around and looked at his friend with a soft smile.

"Goodbye Luka," he shut the door and walked away.

They both knew this was the last time they were ever going to see each other.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

Kate hummed to herself happily. She seemed to be doing a lot if that lately...humming. A lot of her coworkers were starting to take notice on the change in her demeanor in the past few days with her relationship with the underling of the elusive genius on the 40th floor, who was almost as much of a mystery as his master.

The two of them seemed to spend any spare moment with their arms wrapped around each other. During her break he'd come and bring her a sandwich. Sometimes he snuck into one of the rooms she was cleaning, and then she'd be fifteen minutes behind schedule. Even in the morning the two could be seen walking hand in hand to the front door and then kissing languidly.

He wasn't good for her...not at all. She smirked at the thought.

They were turning into a couple, not just a casual thing but a couple. She had staked a claim to him and he to her and she actually didn't mind. He was sweet and charming, smelt really nice, dressed impeccably, and was an excellent, excellent shag. One of the best she'd ever had. Most guys liked to be on top, liked to use tongue, liked to be in control, and sure he has his moments, but he was willing to try new things, new positions, willing to steal a diamond necklace then spend the rest of the evening shagging her while she's wearing it only to return it in the morning. He wasn't a routine shag, each night was an experiment. If she got tired of the bed they'd do it against the wall, if the wall was too hard, they'd do it on the floor, if the floor was too boring then the table would do just nicely. Most guys she'd been with weren't half this inventive in the lovemaking department. Maybe that's why she kept him around. Javor was a man who had no qualms with being dominated, in fact she was pretty sure it was a turn on for him. A woman in power, a woman not afraid to dig her heel into him and demand what she wanted, he liked that, it fueled him. The submissive girl only entertained him to such a point, he'd rather play and fight than win and be in control.

She found that incredibly sexy and a little endearing.

She smiled again. It didn't hurt that he was adorable. Sparkling blue eyes, long lean toned body, ingenious mind, a good ass, and a decent sized...

"There goes silly Katie, dreaming of her main squeeze," joked one of the other maids.

"Excuse me," Kate looked over at them.

"Don't try to deny it girl, we've seen enough to know," they smiled teasingly at her.

"You've seen what?" Kate huffed.

"Enough abandoned karts outside of empty hotel rooms to know what you're dreaming about," the old lady chittered with laughter.

"We're just..."

"Screwing around?"

"Yeah, it's purely physical. He's a good shag."

The women laughed.

"Honey, we've been working here since we were your age...how else do you think we met our husbands?" they chuckled and continued folding the fresh towels.

"I don't think either of us is into that sort of thing."

"Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"How does he look at me?"

"He watches your every move until you go out of sight. Young attractive women could walk by and he would see right through them. When you're in the room you might as well be the only one."

Kate stopped and bit her lip.

"You really think so?"

"And if you think you don't feel the same way you are kidding yourself Katie dear."

The old women nodded to each other.

"I mean...he's one of the...I mean I've had relationships before but he...do you really think he?"

The old women nodded.

"I see."

"We won't tell a soul," the women whispered and winked. "If anybody asks you were with us the entire time. Go."

They shooed her and she grinned, dropping the towel she was folding and running to the service elevator taking it up to the 40th floor.

She quietly snuck down the corridor to room 3327, knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" came Javor's voice. Her knees shook at the sound.

She coughed and lowered her voice slightly.

"Fresh towels for Mr. Tesla. And a message from the concierge."

She heard the locks and latches opening from behind the door.

"Dammit Jenny, that woman's got to get over her-"

Kate cut him off by locking her lips with his and thrusting her fingers into his hair. He gurgled with surprise but quickly pulled her inside and against the door.

He pulled away breathlessly and rested his forehead against hers.

"Hello," he chuckled.

"Hi...Mr. Tesla?" she asked.

"Out," he grasped her by the waist and she quickly took the hint and wrapped her legs around him and let him carry her into the bedroom. Their lips were locked in a mad embrace all the way there.

Half an hour later she was lying on his chest, completely sated and comfortable. Her fingers drew lazy patterns over his shoulder as her head and hair lay sprawled across his firm torso.

His head rested against the headboard and his arms lazily stroked her back.

"What brought this on?" he chuckled.

"When have we ever needed a reason to jump into a bed together?" she joked, kissing the skin of his sternum lightly.

"You've never come here," he laughed. "I mean, you just seemed so..."

She lifted her head up and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"You said you had a message...what was it?" he looked at her sincerely.

"Oh that...it was just a ruse, I couldn't risk you telling me to just leave the towels at the door," he lied easily yet he still didn't quite believe her.

"Really?"

"Well, I had, had a thought that may have driven me to come up and see you so...desperately, but you'll think it's ridiculous," she shook her head.

"Come on, you can tell me, I promise I won't think it's ridiculous," he looked at her earnestly. "Come on, tell me Peaches."

She frowned at the nickname.

"Alright, as long as you never call me that again," she warned with a barely contained grin.

She hoisted herself up with her arms and looked into his eyes.

"My thought was that...maybe...I love you," she said, feeling afraid for the first time in her life that his answer would be no.

He looked shocked, his eyes wide and blinking in disbelief.

"What?"

"See, it's ridiculous, I shouldn't have..."

She started to get up but he grabbed her arm.

"Say it again?"

"What?"

"Say it again," he insisted.

"I love you," she said and his smile widened. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life. "I love-"

He cut her off, springing up and kissing her like she'd never been kissed before by anyone.

The kiss almost put her into a coma, and when he pulled away she barely noticed.

"Oh Kate, you have made me the happiest man alive!" he proclaimed. She had never seen him like this and she was kind of shell shocked by the experience.

"I have?" she managed to say.

"Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes!" He practically bounced with each word. "I think you're amazing and no one has been able to make me feel this way in a long, long time...and I think I love you too. Heck, I don't think, I do love you! Why sugar coat it with uncertainty? I love you!"

She laughed, and cried, and then laughed again.

"I didn't know how you'd react..."

"Kate...I adore you, I have since the moment we've met, surely it's no surprise that I find you to be one of the most fascinating women I have ever had the pleasure to know."

Kate blushed and he grasped her hands.

"You turn me into an absolute boy, Kate, a lovesick boy with a hard on," she chuckled and kissed him softly. "You have no idea what that means to me."

He wrapped his arms around her.

"I'll shout it to the upstairs floor. I love this woman!"

Kate laughed and cut him off with a passionate kiss. He pulled her onto his lap and relished in the feel of her naked body against his.

"Let's get out of here," he whispered as she kissed his neck. "Let's just leave and go somewhere...like France or...Constantinople...lets just go."

"Javor, I don't have the money to go to Constantinople."

"I do, I'm not a poor boy Kate. Let me spoil you. I want to take you places, buy you things, make love to you under exotic stars," he kissed her temple. "We don't have to settle down in a house with six kids, we can travel the world, see the pyramids, learn the Kama sutra, spend our whole lives just living day after day with each other. I have that kind of wealth Kate. I'm only here because I never needed it before."

Kate bit her lip.

"You're serious aren't you?"

He nodded.

"Dead serious. I'm yours if you'll have me."

"What about Mr. Tesla?" she asked.

"He'll survive," Nikola chuckled. "I'll make sure he finds someone."

She blushed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You really think we could?" her mind was racing at this point. Thoughts of her and him and places she had always wanted to see and things she'd always wanted to do.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation.

"Then lets do it," she looked up into his eyes.

He smiled widely.

"You mean it?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Yes, I'm yours if you'll have me," she smiled widely and soon he was kissing her again. Like she'd never been kissed. Mind blowing kisses that sent her brain off with small little explosions. This was happening, she was going to run off with the man she loved.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

Kate exited the apartment feeling like she'd never felt before. She was tingling, excitement, fear, anticipation, love, everything. It was coursing through her like a virus, like a drug.

They were going to do it, they were going to run off together and make love and travel. Her heart was swelling to the point of aching. She was in love...with him, her wonderful, beautiful genius.

She got into the elevator.

"Oh I'm sorry," she startled when she was met with two blue eyes. She was wearing all black and had a veil marring most of her features. Only her blue eyes made it through.

"It's no problem, please," the woman shifted over.

"I'll get the next one," Kate waved it off.

"No, please," the woman insisted.

Kate nodded and entered into the elevator carriage.

"I saw you were coming out of Room 3327, do you know the patron staying there?" asked the strange woman.

"Sort of...I know his assistant...he...we're...it's complicated, Kate shrugged. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, we're old friends," said the woman.

"Don't look that old to me," said Kate.

"I assure you, I'm older than you think," sighed the woman.

"And you and Mr. Tesla..."

"We were once colleagues. He and I keep in touch. He's told me a lot about you Kate, and how you've enamored his young assistant Javor."

"I assure Mr. Tesla, his assistant has done just as well with me, I...love him," Kate blushed.

"He has no doubt about that," the woman smiled and shook her head. "That's why he sent me."

"To do what?"

"To convince you to leave him."

Kate felt her heart plummet all the way down to her shoes.

"Why?"

"You are an interference into something that needs to happen. Javor and Mr. Tesla are key to stopping a war, and we can't have Javor running off to god knows where on a lovers whim. He needs to be here, and he needs to focus on his work. I know that, and Mr. Tesla knows that."

"Mr. Tesla..."

"Kate, I know you are a sweet girl, and Javor thinks the world of you, you are truly special, and I know that he would love you until the earth stopped moving...which is why you have to break it off with him. He will respect your wishes if you don't want to see him again."

"But I do! I don't want to leave him. I love him! What gives you the right to dictate our happiness?" Kate fumed.

The woman pressed the stop button on the elevator.

"What gives you the right to be so selfish? Javor is a major part in a huge scheme of events that will save thousands of lives, and for that to happen he can not be in love with you!"

Kate was effectively silenced.

"It hurts, and it will hurt, and I apologize for stealing your happy ending but it's what I have to do to ensure thousands of people don't die for a useless cause. Mr. Tesla likes you Kate, he thinks you're sweet and he hasn't seen Javor like this in a long time, but he and I are ensuring a future that needs to happen for the whole world to get its happy ending, understand?"

Kate bit her lip. Tears formed in his eyes.

"We were going to run away together," she cried softly.

"I'm sorry," the woman sighed.

"It's not fair," Kate shook her head. "How does one man in love change the course of the future?"

The woman looked at her with a sad glance.

"What if we stay? What if we don't run away? Please, you can't ask me to break off everything with the man I've fallen in love with."

The woman still looked at her sadly.

"Please...I can't do that to him. You didn't see his face in there when I told him how I felt...your asking me to crush that. I can't...I can't."

"You have to, Kate."

"But I love him," Kate sobbed.

"If you don't then we are all doomed," the woman put a comforting hand on her arm.

The elevator was moving again.

Kate cried all the way down until the elevator dinged.

"Wait!" she grasped on to the mysterious woman's arm. "How do you know all this?"

"Mr. Tesla is more than just a genius," the woman said softly. "Let's just say he knows these things."

"I don't understand," Kate muttered, her head swimming.

"You don't have to, but you know I'm right," the woman smiled through the black veil.

"Javor..."

"Do what you feel is right," the woman nodded and then left, losing herself in a flurry of bodies.

Kate gasped, her heart sinking and breaking, and...lord she didn't know what. She just couldn't get the image of his face out of her head when she told him everything.

Kate wasn't one to let emotions get the best of her but at this moment it was all she could do to keep from crying in the middle of the lobby. She quickly ran inside the elevator and closed the doors before her tears managed to break through and spill down her cheeks. She crawled into a huddle drawing her knees up to her chest on the floor of the carriage as she lost herself in her grief.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Hey guys, been working on this one all Christmas for you guys so I hope you like it...and I hope it doesn't make you too sad. World War 2 is upon us, and i promise that will get to the lighter side of things...I just have this theory, judging from J-Yo's performance in Normandy, if you noticed, he seemed a little less...in love with Helen during that episode... I was thinking about that when writing this and the idea that maybe something happened between them to put their relationship in a bit rockier position, more than a failed engagement which ended rather civilly, but Nikola during Normandy, especially when talking of John Druitt, he was talking about his love for Helen, and you know usually oyu can see the inner Tesla going, I LOVE HER MORE THAN HIM! But in that episode there was something in him that seemed tired of being in love with her...which I liked...so here's my idea on possibly why he's not as overly in love with her as he usually is.

Enjoy! I hope you all haven't forgotten about me...I have gotten a little distracted watching Once Upon a Time and becoming a veritable pile of goo because of Rumbelle...but i haven't forgotten you, i promise!


	55. The Death of Luka and Mrs Fillipov (4)

**Chapter 55 - The Death of Luka and Mrs. Fillipov (Part 4)**

_**~~~~Late October, 1937~~~~**_

She watched the funeral procession as the priest read the tale old words from his black bible.

He stood in the back, hands deep in pockets, holding a single flower in his hand. She sat far away on a bench watching.

Her black veil made her look like she was in mourning while also shielding her face in case he should turn around and look over. He might catch her eyes and feel a bit of familiarity in them but not even he could decipher her face from behind the sheer black lace.

His black coat was buttoned up all the way and the collar flipped up to protect his neck from the rising chill. His hair was neatly slicked back as always, and he listened intently to the blessing.

Watching him always made her sad, especially now, knowing what part she had played in it all. The words still rang clearly in his head.

_"You did this! Why, Helen, why?"_

The words were still biting and stinging at the edge of her mind, remembering that cloudy October eve and that mournful phone call.

"_She's gone, she's left me, she's gone, everything! And it's your fault! Why can't you ever let me be happy? Why do you insist on torturing me this way? You can not stand me moving on just because you can't!"_

She looked down at her hands and stifled her prickling tears.

_"Nikola what are you talking about?"_

_"Kate! Why did you do it, Helen? Why did you convince her to leave me? Why!"_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"She told me it was Tesla, that he had sent a strange woman, an old friend to warn her about seeing me! You are...you are so cruel! I know what you did! Just tell me why!"_

She cringed and looked up at him.

"I did it to save the world," she mumbled under her breath so only the dead could hear her confession.

_**~~~~A week earlier~~~~**_

Nikola felt elated, his heart soaring. A feeling he hadn't experienced in a long...long time, not since - no, better not to think about that.

But Kate...loved him, and he...wow he could take flight, he thought he seriously could. He could just open up a window and soar straight across the Manhattan skyline.

Yesterday had been the best day of his life, at least, he'd like to think it was.

Gosh, had he ever felt this way with Helen. He hook his head. It didn't matter, he was with Kate now, they were going to start anew. He was going to kill off Tesla. He'd be Javor now and forever, he'd be with her now and forever. They could go any where, do anything, and never want for nothing.

He was tingling from excitement. He hadn't been able to sit still since she left. He was too busy, too busy planning and thinking and dreaming of everything.

He was downright giddy that's what he was. Could men as old as he get giddy...should they? It doesn't matter, he was a young duck to her anyways and he like it, he liked his reclaim to youth.

He heard a soft knock at the door and he smiled and nearly skipped to the door and opened it without a care.

He smiled when his eyes fell upon Kate and he wistfully grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.

"Hello, my darling," he smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Is...is Tesla here?" she asked.

Nikola shook his head and scoffed.

"He's still out," he sighed happily, but then he saw her eyes and his smile dropped. She'd been crying. "Are you ok?"

She shook her head.

"Yah, yah, I'm fine," she shook her head.

"Ok," he stepped back skeptically. "Well, anyways, I was thinking...maybe our first stop could be France. Paris is lovely this time of year, you know, I'll show you all around, to all the best spots," he began babbling dreamily again.

She moved out of his embrace to a window. She was biting her lip, and he knew he could tell.

"Kate, what's wrong?" he asked, concern inking its way into his features.

"Nothing...please go on," she said, not looking at him.

"Well, uh, after Paris I thought we'd make a small trip down to Nice, and maybe after that we'd...uh, are you sure you're ok?"

Kate bit her lip again.

"I...I can't go with you to France," she said, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"I told you Kate, money is not an issue," he said.

"It's not about the money, I just, I just can't go with you, I have to stay here," she said with as much determination as she could muster.

"Fine, we won't go then," he shook his head.

"No, you go, it's sounds nice, in fact, get as far away as you can from here...from me," she sighed.

"The only reason I wanted to go was to be with you Kate...are you saying you..."

"Yes, I don't want to be with you...I lied...what I said to you earlier, I don't love you...it was just a game."

"What?" Nikola's heart hit the floor. "No, no, no, you meant it I know you did, just like I meant it, it wasn't a game."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't, this isn't you. What's happened Kate, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that we have to grow up, move on with our lives, we can't keep living in this dream world where it's just us and we can travel the globe and make love under stars and never have responsibilities!"

"What are you talking about?"

"What if you get injured? Hmm? Or what if I get pregnant? What would we do then? Settle down? Raise a family?"

"Are you saying you're..."

"God no, I mean, that's not what I meant, I'm just saying, we're running away from it all, and I just think that it'd be best if we stopped."

"Then we won't leave, I don't care, we'll stay here."

"No, I mean, we have to stop...seeing each other...I can't see you anymore ok?"

Nikola could feel something in him physically break at that.

"But I love you..."

"No you don't, you're in love with the idea of being in love with me, and we can't, I can't pretend any more...I don't love you Javor," she couldn't hold it in anymore and a tear escaped her.

"You're lying!" he exclaimed. "Your tears give you away!"

"We can't do this any more, alright, it doesn't matter whether I cry or not, I'm still leaving!" she cried.

"For god's sake why?" he cried grabbing her arms. He was becoming frantic, desperate to hold on to her and it was suffocating her. She yanked her arms out of his.

"It's unhealthy!" she barked.

"What is?" his eyes were red, and he looked beyond distraught and it was breaking her bit by bit.

"Everything!" she cried.

"You're not making any sense to me, what has changed. Yesterday you loved me now I'm unhealthy, what the hell's gotten into you!"

"You! You and me, it can't work, it will never work...Mr. Tesla even said so himself..." she cut herself off and mentally cursed herself. She hasn't meant to bring him into this.

"What?"

"Just drop it Javor, it's nothing, goodbye," she darted around him to the door and he was quick to follow, keeping the door shut with a firm hand.

"What do you mean Mr. Tesla told you so," the edge in his voice was almost frightening.

"Let me go Javor, please," her tears ran down her cheeks, and her eyes darted to the floor.

"Did Tesla tell you to leave me?"

"It's nothing, it just slipped out, I'm sorry. Let me go!"

He grabbe her arms roughly and she shrieked hitting him in an attempt to have him release her.

A sharp think to the head had him clutching it and stepping back.

It was enough for her to quickly run out of the hotel room.

He was quick to pursue her.

"Kate! Kate, come back!" he pleaded.

"No!" she cried, running to the elevator.

"Please! Talk to me! Kate!" she was in the elevator before he could reach her and he quickly turned and ran to the staircase and began bolting as fast as vampirically possible to get to the lobby just in time.

Kate ran out of the elevator on the main floor, trying as hard as she could to contain herself. She had grabbed her coat and thrown it on, walking as fast as he could to get out of this building.

Nikola reached her just as she steppe out the door. Him following and grasping her arm, she gasped.

"Kate, please, help me understand. What did he say to you?" he pleaded.

"Let me go, please let me go, I can't do this," she sobbed.

"You love me Kate, I know you do, somebody's scared you off, or threatened you, I assure you it wasn't Tesla, just somebody masquerading as him. Please don't leave me like this."

He pulled her into a soft kiss but she pulled back, crying, and running cross the street to the park.

"Kate, please! Stop running from me, and tell me!"

"I can't!"

"What did he say?"

"I can't! I can't!"

"What did this Tesla say, pleas whist tell me that, then I'll leave you alone...I promise, just...just tell me what he said."

Kate stopped and dragged in a ragged breath to come herself.

"It wasn't from him directly," she said, her arms wrapping around her. "It was from a woman, she said she was an old friend of his...I never got her name."

"Who was she...was she blonde?" his demeanor changed dramatically, it was frightening.

"What? Blonde? I, uh, I don't know she wore a hat and a...a veil of some sort, I didn't really see her face," Kate shrugged. It was cool and it smelt like it was going to rain soon.

She shivered slightly.

Nikola's eyes screwed tightly and he ran a hand through his hair.

"That bitch," he muttered. "She got to you...she...I can't believe she got to you!"

"Do you know this woman?"

"She can never stand to see me happy!"

"She said it was for the best, that you were meant for something beyond my comprehension."

"She would," he growled bitterly.

"Who is she?" asked Kate.

"It doesn't matter cause its a lie, whatever she said to you it doesn't matter. I love you, and I want to be with you, please listen to me."

"No, I'm sorry, I can't," Kate shook her head. "I don't...I don't love you Javor, I never have."

"Stop saying that! I know it's not true!" he cried. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because it's easier!" she screamed.

"Easier than what?" he cried back.

"Easier than knowing that you can't be with someone you desperately want to be with! But I can't be selfish...I can't take that chance...so I don't love you, and I'll keep telling myself that until its true! I don't love you!"

Thunder punctuated her last words and that was it. Nikola was on his knees, begging, the sky broke and rain poured down in sheets, drenching them instantly.

Kate looked him in the eyes, despite the rain she saw tears there, pleading tears.

It broke her heart to see him so devastated by the four simple words. Where three had made him the happiest man alive, four had him crawling on all fours in the mud, begging.

Every fiber of her being wanted to run into his arms, kiss him, hold him and swear she'd never leave him ever again.

But the woman's words ran clear in her mind and she steeled herself. She would become ice and stone, and she would turn and walk away with dead ears to any pleas and when she got home then she would break and cry for days, but now, she had to be strong.

"Goodbye, Javor," she said firmly and turned and walked away.

"No, Kate, please, just stay, please."

He ignored him and focused on the rain and kept walking.

"Kate!" he cried. "I love you, does that mean nothing?!"

She paused for one moment, the words breaking through her walls. Somehow those words ran deeper than just her, like this wasn't the first time he's had someone walk out on him like this.

She bit her lip and began running; she couldn't do this anymore. Eventually she would be far enough away that all she'd be able to hear is her own heart breaking.

_**~~~~Elsewhere~~~~**_

The phone was ringing off it's hook in the London Sanctuary.

Helen finished her tea and casually went to pick it up.

"Hello," she said with a smile. That smile quickly melted when she heard the sobbing on the other line. "Nikola, is that you?"

"You!" the unbridled rage came from over the line. "You did this!"

She'd never heard him in this much despair.

"Why, Helen, why! he screamed and she could hear a loud thump, he obviously smacked the glass of the phone booth.

"Did what?" she asked, trying to muster all she could not to sound patronizing.

"She left me, she's gone, everything! And it's your fault!"

Nikola was openly sobbing into the receiver and her heart broke for him. Her back hit the wall as she leaned against it, intent on listening to him as he cried out his pent up frustrations at her. This had been a long time coming.

It was something that was going to haunt her for a long time.

She remembered the tears that had fallen, the guilt, the despair, the years of silence between them till he made his way back to her on his own time.

Now she was sitting on this cemetery bench as they buried Luka Fillapov next to his beloved Katharine, watching it all pass by her. Her heart broke again.

Now she had the memory of watching him, knees in the mud, pleading. Hearing those words coming from him. She knew, he had witnessed it.

It was all she could do to keep in the shadows, under an umbrella hidden by low hanging branches.

She saw him in that phone booth, every cry breaking her heart that little bit more, the anger he had unleashed into that receiver. She remembered not understanding what he meant, not knowing why he blamed her except that maybe he just needed someone to scream at.

They would recover from this.

She looked up as she heard the funeral procession begin to slowly leave the grave spot, following the priest back to their cars.

He was the last to leave, gently placing his roses, one for each on their graves, before getting up.

His eyes met hers instantly and for a moment she was frozen under that blue grey gaze.

Her heart caught in her throat and she quickly slipped into the crowd of black adorned people.

She needed to get out of here before he found out it was her.

She walked calmly, maybe he wouldn't follow her.

"Hey!" his voice called.

She didn't turn to him but quickly made herself disappear in the blink of an eye.

He stopped, much like he had that day in the park, looking around for her, not being able to see her amongst the stone angels and crosses.

"I know you're there!" he shouted. "When will you stop haunting me?"

She bit her lip and kept as still as possible knowing that even the slightest rustle would reach his ears.

"Haven't you done enough damage?" he kept yelling. "How do you expect me to move on if you won't let me get you out of my head? I despise you!"

A tear escaped but she held her tongue with all her might.

"I know why you did it! Just...I'm tired of fighting for you...I don't...I don't want to want you anymore," he sighed and walked away.

She collapsed against the tree once he was far enough away.

She breathed in deeply.

She looked to where he stood and gulped air as if she had been holding her breath for years.

She never knew. And now he'd never know.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

And TimeWarp Helen strikes again...but with good reason as she clearly pointed out! He needs to stay in New York so that he can die, smart cookie figured out that she had to break his spirit a bit to stay true to the timeline...Helen is a smart cookie. Say bye bye Kate...i know a part of you just kind of felt out and spilt on the floor for Nikola, here's a mop...

I promise you I won't make him suffer any more, from here on out he'll be awesome like we know he is...maybe..you know...depends on how cruel I feel...no more heart ripping out kind of stuff though...I think.

This concludes this particular arc. We move on to the next and possibly final for this fic. I know, you're thinking, am i truly ready for this...where am i going to turn to for my Sanctuary needs now that Syfy has crushed ye another one of my hope and dreams! WHY! Okay...maybe that's just me. ButI have another idea brewing in my over active noggin and if life doesn't continue to keep getting in my way, hopefully I can continue to entertain all who will listen.

Love you guys, enjoy reading :)


	56. Forever and Always (1)

**Chapter 56 – Forever And Always (Part 1)**

_**~~~~April, 1944~~~~**_

Helen walked up the staircase to the old two-story apartment building in downtown Paris. A city that, though in the middle of war, hardly let it affect them she noticed.

She had tracked him down here, not surprised he would come here, here he could be faceless, nameless, and relatively undisturbed.

Though France of all places made getting to him a bit of a challenge, and even harder to get him back, but she had her orders.

She reached the landing of the stairs and headed to the third door down the hall, room 3, no surprises there.

Helen took a moment to compose herself, letting the nerves at seeing him again still.

She knocked on the door hesitantly.

She heard something akin to shuffling and then silence and she wondered if she should knock again, but before her fist reached the door it opened.

There he was.

His hair was mussed, his eyes were bleary, he hadn't shaved in what seemed like a month, and he was wearing nothing but a half buttoned shirt and his shorts.

"What do you wan-" he grumbled but his eyes widened and his scowl melted into a grin. "Helen, what a pleasant surprise."

Helen sighed.

"You're a mess Nikola," she brushed some dust off his shoulder.

"Aren't you supposed to be in England or America...helping the Allied Governments win the war?" he scoffed.

"I am, that's why I came here...may I come in?" she asked, not feeling comfortable enough to have this discussion in the hallway.

"Can it wait for another time?" he looked over his shoulder absently as he spoke.

"Not really no," she said sternly.

"Alright," he sighed and swung the door open. The apartment was a tiny two room plus bathroom accommodation.

Nikola was obviously using the other room as his lab because right smack in the middle of the main room was a large double-bed with a naked French woman tangled in it's sheets.

Nikola went over to the side of the bed to fetch his pants. He sat on the edge as he put them on and leaned over and kissed her shoulder lightly.

She moaned pleasurably and turned and wrapped hers arms around him, nuzzling her face into his side and Helen rolled her eyes.

"Just go back to sleep, love, I won't be a minute," he muttered to her in French.

"Reviens au lit, Nikki," she whimpered back and then looked up seeing Helen. "Que est-elle?"

"Just a friend, my love," he kissed her briefly and began to get up when she grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought him back down to kiss her again.

He chuckled and returned the tender embrace lovingly.

The whole exchange made Helen sick.

"Je vais faire le petit dejeuner," she sat up and grabbed one of his shirts, not bothering to use the sheet to cover herself. Helen looked away and rolled her eyes.

Nikola strolled up to her with a big grin on his face.

"Is she the maid?" Helen teased.

"Jeannette, ravishing creature isn't she?" Nikola smirked.

"And about hmmm...one third your age," Helen mocked him.

"But hoy, if she don't make you feel 53 again. Please, step into my office," Nikola joked, leading Helen over to the small private balcony near the kitchen. It over viewed a small square shared by the four apartment buildings, that was nicely maintained with flower beds and a small fountain in the centre.

There was a small round table and two chairs on the balcony. An ashtray sat in the middle of the table.

Nikola pulled out a cigarette from a silver case and placed it in his mouth.

"I never realized you smoked," Helen noted as he sat down.

"I never used to, but hey, I'm bored," he shrugged.

"And Jeannette?" asked Helen.

"Refreshing isn't she, with an air of romantic whimsy and French optimism, really quite the jewel don't you think?"

"You truly are bored, aren't you?" Helen all but accused.

"You're darn right I am, I'm in hiding," he took a drag from the cigarette. "All I seem to do is eat, make love, smoke and drink."

"Some would consider that heaven," Helen joked unamusedly.

"It's a virtual hell, except for the lovemaking...and the drinking," he shrugged. "So what do you need from me?"

Helen was taken aback from the sudden question.

"Can't I just catch up with an old friend," she decided to play coy with him.

"Ok, if that's how you want to play it," he shrugged.

Jeannette peeked her head out the balcony door and smiled at Nikola, and he smiled and waved back.

She muttered some French words to him and gestured at Helen.

"She's wondering how you like your eggs," Nikola translated.

"I know, thank you," she turned to Jeannette. "Pas pour moi, merci."

Jeannette nodded and headed back inside.

"Seriously Nikola, what has gotten into you, since when have you ever wasted your time with such a floozy," her tone switched and her voice lowered.

"She's not a floozy, Helen, she's a remarkable woman," Nikola said flippantly.

"She's a floozy," Helen narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ok, she's a floozy," he shrugged. "But she's a fantastic shag of a floozy who cooks breakfast in the morning, and doesn't ask questions."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Is this what you consider your retirement?" Helen scoffed.

"I enjoy it," he shrugged. "I'm in France, the world is getting destroyed, when it reaches us I'll move on, maybe go to Italy or Sweden, if I feel so inclined I'll take Jeannette with me. We'll continue making love, I'll continue smoking, she'll continue making my eggs exactly how I like them, maybe I'll get her pregnant, I don't know, retirements fun that way. What the hell gives you the right to show up at my front door and accuse me of wasting my eternity away?"

"Because you could be helping us win the war," Helen barked.

"I tried that, everybody thought I was crazy," he sighed.

"Your death ray weapon was not the solution to world peace," she rolled her eyes.

"Did you government types even stop to ask before sending the FBI to spy on me?" Nikola grumbled.

"You are so full of yourself!"

"Then why are you here, Helen?" he barked.

"Because I was asked," she threw the papers on the table. "By General Eisenhower and President Roosevelt."

"To what?" he took the papers and looked over them.

"Either you join in the war effort, as an American citizen or be arrested as a defector," Helen said firmly.

"But I'm dead," he shrugged.

"Only in some circles, but not to them," she sighed. "If you help they promise to drop all charges and return your personal belongings that were nabbed by the FBI and you'll be free to live any life you want. No more living in hiding. You can continue your work, uninterrupted and unwatched."

Nikola pondered over her words.

Jeannette came out and placed two cups of coffee on the table.

Nikola grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"Merci, love," he smiled at her and she leant down and kissed him.

Helen averted her gaze as the shirt Jeannette was wearing did nothing to disguise the fact that she was not wearing anything below the waist.

No wonder Nikola liked her.

She distracted herself by sneering at the vile brown liquid in the cup in front of her.

After Jeannette was done giving Nikola a thorough kiss, she stood up straight and waltzed back inside, Nikola eyeing her the entire way out.

"I don't know Helen...leaving France seems mighty unappealing right now," he sighed, still looking at the spot she'd just vacated.

Helen rolled her eyes.

"You realize you are the only one in the whole of France with that opinion," she frowned at him.

"Well, I can't just leave," he said defensively.

"Leave what?" asked Helen.

"Leave Jeannette," he gestured absently.

Helen scoffed.

"I'm sure she'll find another man to cook breakfast for," Helen said with no measure to cover up what she was implying.

"Helen, that's rude," he scolded. "She is a woman after all."

"What has that got to do with anything?" Helen sighed.

"Jealousy does not look good on you," Helen let out an indignant squeak at his insinuation. "But Helen, I'm sure we could arrange something for the three of us, I'm sure Jeannette would be up for it."

"Are you that insane to think that I'd..."

"I love the hair by the way, it's shorter, but nice, you've straightened it too," he ran his fingers through some of it.

Helen swatted his hand away.

"Will you keep on task, Nikola, this is not some game we're talking about. You could be the only one to help us get a leg up on Hitler, so stop making jokes, pack a bag, say your goodbyes, and shave dammit, you look like a bloody POW!"

Helen stood up angrily.

"Here is where I'll be tonight at 8:30, be there, or hope to god that Hitler finds you before Eisenhower does," she threw a slip of paper down on the table.

With that she spun on her heel and nearly rammed into Jeannette as she walked out the door.

Jeannette watched her leave with genuine surprise.

She looked back at Nikola.

"Quel est son probleme?" she asked.

"Nothing, love," he stuck the cigarette in the ashtray. "She's just a hothead."

Jeannette sat in the chair Helen had just vacated.

"Je pense que vous devriez aller si cela signifie beaucoup pour elle," Jeannette shrugged and Nikola smirked, taking her hand and kissing it.

"You're probably right," he sighed.

_**~~~~London, 1942~~~~**_

The phone ringed endlessly and Helen groaned as she lazily made her way downstairs to answer it.

It was the middle of the night, she was exhausted, who was calling?

James and Nigel probably were passed out in the lab or still working, and everyone else in the Sanctuary seemed to be the heaviest sleepers known to man.

Who ever this was it had better be good.

She grabbed the phone and held it to her ear.

"Hello," her voice was raspy.

"Hello, love," the all too familiar American accent rang over the line. "Did I ever tell you how much I missed you?"

Helen rolled her eyes.

"What have you done now, Nikola?"

"Helen, I am deeply offended by the insinuation that I..."

"Nikola, it is three in the morning, what the hell do you want?"

"Straight to the point, and as sexy as ever, Helen. Well, okay then, I...I need your help," Nikola's voice lowered significantly.

"What have you done?" Helen reiterated.

"Nothing. Just wrote a theory on plans for a death ray weapon that could end the war as we know it, but no body really saw past the death ray part," he sighed.

Helen groaned. She was not going back to bed any time soon.

"I remember the article," she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, but now I'm being hunted by the FBI, my every move watched, I can't...I can't even think...I need your help, I need you to hide me, or something."

Helen let out an exasperated sigh.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"If any of my work falls in their hands I am ruined Helen. If I run they will chase me and if I stay they will wait in anticipation. Help me!" he whispered emphatically.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need a distraction, something that will allow me to slip into hiding, so I can continue my work," he pleaded.

Helen sighed again.

"Where are you?" she asked, her tone softening.

"It's funny you should ask..."

Helen put the phone down as realization hit her and she rushed over to the window peeking outside into the bleak streets of London. Across the street from the sanctuary was a telephone booth, and in said telephone booth was none other than Nikola Tesla.

He waved at her and she rolled her eyes. She went back to the phone.

"Get in here," she growled and hung up.

Moments later the front door opened and Nikola sheepishly stepped inside.

"I thought you'd never ask," he smirked at her.

Helen glared at him.

"How the hell did you make it to England undetected?" she growled.

"Having the whole world think you're incredibly old helps," he shrugged.

"Really Nikola, this is all on you, you should've never published that article," she scolded him.

"I honestly thought someone of sense would read it," he shrugged.

"Nikola, you can't...you can't just expect the world to follow along with every bright idea that comes to your head. They probably think you're some kind of sympathizer or war criminal now."

"Which is ridiculous. Me? Side with the Germans? Pffft!" Nikola scoffed.

"You were born Serbian, do you have any idea how that looks?" she groaned.

"I have stated constantly that I love America, my whole career. They have no reason to doubt me!" Nikola cried.

"You also thought you talked to aliens and sent a package of money to a dead friend, your word is not necessarily credible."

"That frigging little journalist misquoted me about the alien thing, that was not my fault, and as for the money that was all Rudy's doing, him and his damned near-sightedness."

"Doesn't matter. It's enough for the world to think that your mind is off kilter."

"So what do we do about it? Rudy's dead, it's not like I can admit myself or pass away," Nikola sighed.

"That might not be such a bad idea," a light bulb went off in Helen's mind.

"Helen, I can't die, as much as I know you'd like to try," he frowned at her.

"Nikola, I think I may have a solution to your problem," Helen smirked.

"Does it involve wine and a bed, preferably yours," Nikola smirked salaciously

Helen frowned.

"Please don't make me shoot you. It will disturb the residents," Helen glowered at him and he chuckled.

"Fine, the couch then," he teased and made his way to the parlor.

"I can not believe you," Helen groaned.

_**~~~~Paris, 1944~~~~**_

It was 8:15. Helen drove towards the docks where she had arranged a pick up that would take her and whatever passenger she had down the river to where a bi-plane was waiting to take them out of France and back to England. They were all trusted Underground resistance operatives and personal friends of hers.

The most dangerous part of this whole operation would be the dock, there was always shady characters roaming by it, and she wouldn't be surprised if Nazi sympathizers would be lying in wait for a British government spy.

She fingered her gun lying in the lining of her coat.

Her mind though was on something else. If he had been any other man she would've flipped him over that table handcuffed him and dragged him out of that apartment. Of course, it was Nikola, he knew exactly what buttons to push to make her stomp out of there yelling good riddance!

What in the world was he doing? Making love to some blonde French floozy, acting as if there was no threat of war around him, and smoking?

She growled. The depths to which she hated him were astounding.

She got out of the car and paid the driver. She only had one small bag with her because she had no intention of staying in this country any longer than she had to.

She was so wrapped up in thought over Nikola being a stupid arse, that she didn't see the silhouette of a tall lean man sitting on a bench at the other end of the dock.

She grumbled to herself, letting her anger boil within her till she heard a sound.

Her gun was out in lightning speed.

There was someone in the shadows, she realized as she was standing beneath the halo of an old street lamp.

"Shooting me would be highly unproductive," she dropped her weapon and rolled her eyes.

"But it would do me a ton of good," she put the weapon back in its secure position.

Nikola stepped into the small circle of light.

Helen noted he was in his full suit, clean-shaven, hair slicked back, his usual self in all respects.

"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me," Nikola smirked.

"No one is ever happy to see you, Nikola, you mean trouble," she sighed.

"You used to find that very endearing about me, once upon a time," Nikola said, his tone a bit sad, but still teasing.

"Well, once upon a time, you used to actually care about what was happening in the world, now all you do is smoke, drink, and shag just to keep yourself entertained," she growled at him angrily.

"Well, I came didn't I?" Nikola kept his tone even.

"How did Jeannette take it?" Helen teased without a hint of humor in her voice.

"Well, we made love one last time, she helped me shave, I gave her the keys to the apartment, and we said our goodbyes," Nikola smirked. "I miss her already."

"Like you could've truly been content with a floozy like that for the rest of your life," she sighed.

"That's the thing about floozy's though, you love them and you leave them, and they just shrug, kiss you on the cheek and say it was nice while it lasted," Nikola shrugged. "True love is overrated in that respect."

Helen shook her head.

"What made you finally change your mind?" Helen's tone softened.

"Jeannette, actually. She said I couldn't disappoint someone I obviously respected, as hard as I tried. I said she had no idea what she was talking about, I hardly respect you, but then she said that I was bored, and how long could I really maintain being happy just drinking, smoking and shagging all day, and that got me thinking. So here I am."

"So you're not doing this for any other reason than..."

"I'm bored. Exactly! Good reason. And she was right, good shagging and fine wine can only distract me for so long, besides what's the point of it all without exercising my genius," he grinned smugly.

Helen sighed, she'd take it, anything but dragging him out of the country by force.

"Well, remind me to send Jeannette a thank you card," Helen patted his shoulder condescendingly, at least the floozy was good for something.

"I think she'd much prefer a green card, but you know, it's war," Nikola shrugged.

"Exactly. Speaking of which, our boat should be arriving any moment now," Helen turned and began heading further down the dock.

"What boat?" Nikola followed behind carrying two suitcases with him.

"The boat that will takes us to the plane that will take us back to England," Helen said cryptically.

"And once we're in England?"

"We'll take you to the British-American Military Headquarters, where Eisenhower is, where you will be given your direct and personal instructions."

"You mean where they're going to lock me in a room and force me to do whatever they want, and threaten to imprison me if I don't do it, don't you?" Nikola sneered at her.

"Semantics, take it as you will," Helen shrugged.

"Why couldn't I just stay dead?" Nikola rolled her eyes.

"I tried but there are some secrets that just can't be contained. You are one of them, but in exchange for your services you will be offered a full pardon, and the secret of your existence will be buried with Eisenhower and Roosevelt."

"Oh, such reliable contacts, really, I'm assured," Nikola muttered sarcastically.

"Will you hurry up?" Helen decided to ignore him.

"Oh because the boat is coming oh-so quickly on the horizon," Nikola muttered.

"I need to meet my contact down at the pier," the sighed,

"Is he the driver of the boat that will take us to the plane that will take me to my own personal brand of hell?" asked Nikola.

"No, but he will signal the boat to come to us," said Helen.

"I feel safer with you already," teased Nikola.

Helen rolled her eyes and kept walking till she reached the small boathouse at the end of the dock.

She stopped a few meters away from it and pulled out a flashlight from her bag, holding it up and flicking it on and on.

"What are you doing, signaling a plane landing?" Nikola scoffed.

"It's so my contact knows it's us, this isn't exactly the safest place to casually stroll up to anyone and start chatting them up. There are Nazi spies every where," she sighed.

"You need to trust people more," shrugged Nikola.

"These are times of war, trust has to be earned, not thrown about carelessly."

"I feel like I should be offended."

"Good."

A light from inside the boathouse began to flicker and Helen tucked the flashlight back inside her bag.

"That's the signal. Let's go," she sighed.

"No really, I thought it was code for run away," he rolled his eyes.

"Then he would've flicked the light three times," Helen said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, I see," Nikola sneered at her and followed as they entered into the boathouse.

"Jacob?" Helen whispered into the darkness of the inner shadows of the building.

"Oui," came a voice, beckoning them further inside.

Nikola walked in casually, his vampire sight making it easy for him.

Helen grasped his shoulder and used him as a guide.

"Darling I don't think now is the time," she didn't have to see to know he was smirking.

"Shut up, I can't see," she grumbled.

"I can see things perfectly clear," he grasped her hand gently and stroked the top of it lightly. The resounding thunk of her hand smacking his chest reverberated through the old rickety building.

Suddenly a light flickered to life before them causing both to squint slightly.

"Jacob?" Helen asked again.

"Helen Magnus?" came the heavily accented male.

He was a short man, shorter than Nikola anyways. Stout and with a thick beard, wearing a black turtleneck and a navy toque.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," he said.

"It's a pleasure," Helen held out her hand.

"Is this the man?" Jacob looked over at Nikola.

"Indeed he is," Helen gave a sideglance over to Nikola who grinned back.

"I feel so important," he teased.

"Alright, wait here," Jacob went over to the window and peered out of it. "They are on their way."

Helen nodded her head.

"We agreed upon ten thousand right?" she asked as she leant down to fish through her bag.

"Yes," Jacob nodded.

Helen sprung up and cocked her weapon at the man.

"Funny, as I recall you were doing this as part of the resistance and didn't ask for a penny. Who are you?" she said threateningly and Nikola sat back and watched amusedly.

"You cannot win. We'll be taking you and your friend in to the custody of the Third Reich," the man said, his voice edged with steel.

"A traitor, I should've known," Helen sneered.

"You are a very valuable asset to the allied governments Miss Magnus, and you will ensure my safety when the Nazis come to conquer," he said confidently.

"I don't think so," Helen shook her head. "Where is Jacob?"

"It's too late," the man shook his head. "You will not get out of France alive whether you kill me or not so I suggest you come peacefully."

"Not a chance in hell," Helen spat.

Nikola coughed suggestively, pointing upwards with his eyebrows to the hanging light bulb. It did not take much thought process to understand his plan.

She turned back to the imposter.

"What do you want from us?" she asked.

"You are very valuable to the English government and you have been personally drafted over here to collect him," he pointed to Nikola.

"So of course, I must be valuable as well, or even more so. Listen to that, Helen, I'm worth more than you," Nikola teased. "Well I'm sorry to burst Hitler's bubble but we're just in love. I didn't even know there was a war going on," Nikola bluffed lamely. "What you really caught was a semi-important government asset having a romantic tryst with a veritable sex god, so unless the big man is looking for love tips, I'm really no use at all."

"You're not lovers," the man scoffed.

"Not yet," Nikola smirked at Helen.

"Please stop talking," Helen groaned.

"Yes, please stop talking," reiterated the French man.

"Hey, whose side are you on?" Nikola barked insincerely.

Helen could hear the sound of a boat approaching.

"There is no time for this," the man whipped out his own weapon. "You are coming with me."

"Helen he's got a gun!" Nikola shrieked sarcastically.

"Enough! Shut up!" the man yelled.

Helen was getting a headache.

"Enough of this," she sighed and pointed the barrel of her gun at the light bulb and shot it out, submerging them into complete darkness. Almost milliseconds afterwards another shot was fired, but from his weapon, aimed somewhere in the room.

Helen's body went rigid.

In the darkness she could only hear what sounded like a strange rumble and then a loud shriek followed by a sickening snap of what was most definitely a spinal column.

"Helen," Nikola's hand came to her shoulder and she clutched for it desperately, the dark slightly throwing her into a state of paranoia and vertigo. "Helen, it's me, we're ok."

His tone had changed from the smug and sarcastic to calm and caring. His arms wrapped around her protectively, and without thinking she stepped into his embrace. Her breathing matching his as she clung to his sides, her back pressed up against his front and his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Helen," his breath ghosted across her cheek as he spoke. "We need to get out of here."

"I know," she nodded. "Is he?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

She shivered slightly before she felt something wet.

"Nikola? Are you hurt?" she stepped out of his arms and spun around quickly to feel the wound embedded in his shoulder.

"Hurt is a relative term for an immortal," he stated smugly. "The pain has subsided but I do have a bullet in me."

"Once we're to safety I'll be able to pry it out," she sighed.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"No, just startled is all," she shook her head. "The sudden darkness and the gunshots were messing with my mind a little. Some of us are not as immortal as you'd think."

He chuckled.

They both could hear the boat swiftly approaching.

"Friends?" he asked.

"I doubt it," she muttered.

"So, I guess it's our turn at a hostile takeover," he chuckled and reached around her, his hands sliding over her butt momentarily before snatching the small gun tucked into the waist of her skirt.

Helen glared at him, knowing that he would be able to see it.

"I think I'll be needing this," he grinned.

"Maybe I should just leave that bullet in," she grumbled.

Before he could respond there was rapid gunfire aimed at the flimsy boathouse walls.

Little streaks of light poured in through the newly made holes in the thin metal siding.

Nikola grabbed Helen's hand and lowered them closer to the ground while shuffling away from the bullets, also managing to put himself between her and the gunfire.

There was a thick metal cabinet in the corner of the room, used as storage for spare parts no doubt. Nikola crawled over to it and pried it open. It was greasy and he didn't like the feel of it on his hands. But there was enough room for both of them to squish in.

Without a word he dragged Helen inside so she was lying on her back with her knees tucked up.

Nikola crawled in after overtop of her, shuffling his body in between her legs, supporting himself up by his hands on either side of her head.

They awkwardly adjusted to the strange but way too familiar position.

Nikola grinned down at her.

"This reminds me..." he started.

"No," Helen shook her head.

"No?"

"No."

"But it was fun."

"Nikola," Helen groaned.

He chuckled.

"Honestly love, we're only in here to escape being riddled with bullets like Swiss cheese," he smirked slightly. "Though it does bring back memories."

One of his hands just ghosted down her side.

"Not ones I would like to relive," Helen said sternly.

"So we sucked at courting each other, I remember the physical stuff we did quite well," he leaned down a little closer. "After all, that is why you came for me...lover."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"You're an idiot," she growled.

"We'll it distracted him, didn't it?" he shrugged. "He pointed the gun at me, not you, so for all it's worth I pulled it off successfully."

Helen was rather touched by his want to protect her.

"Thank you," she said honestly. She reached up and kissed his cheek.

His body stilled at the touch, though she couldn't quite see his face she knew the mood had changed slightly.

He was silent, his breath the only indication he was actually alive.

"You still there, Nikola?" she teased.

The moment was broken.

"Helen, I," his voice sounded slightly hoarse to her ears but his words were cut short by a loud clanging.

"Jacques!" called someone. Another traitor. "Do you have the woman and the American?"

"Serbian," Nikola growled under his breath.

"We saw the light go out, what's happened man?"

Through the crack in the cabinet door they could see the light from an old lantern wandering around the boathouse.

"Is anyone there?" the voice asked again.

Nikola leaned down to Helen's ear.

"Moan," he whispered.

"What?"

"Like you're wounded," he explained then let out a painful sounding groan, loud enough for the man to hear.

"Someone's there," said a new voice. A younger voice by the sounds of it. "I think it's coming from over here."

Helen caught on to Nikola's plan and let loose a painful moan of her own.

"Two of them," the young voice exclaimed.

"Be careful Robert," the man with the lantern said.

"I don't see anybody," Robert shrugged.

Helen and Nikola moaned again, both trying not to snigger at the juvenility of the situation.

"What the hell?" sighed the older man.

He was crouching over something. Jacques no doubt.

"Who did this?" he muttered.

"There's someone in this cabinet!" exclaimed Robert.

Nikola untucked the small gun he had taken from Helen's waist and aimed it straight at the door. Helen caught the hint, reaching down for her own weapon.

Nikola's breath hitched slightly as her hand grazed him.

"Serves you right," Helen muttered, making sure to run her gun against him as she brought it up.

"You did that on purpose," he growled lowly.

Helen shrugged and cocked her weapon.

"All's fair in love and war."

"Nice to know you still care," Nikola teased.

"Robert, be careful, it could be whoever did this to Jacques," stated the old man as the younger man slowly made his way to the cabinet.

"I think he's wounded," said Robert. He pulled out his own weapon.

The young man tentatively opened the cabinet door only to be faced with two loaded weapons and one very large and devious grin.

Nikola grabbed the man's collar and pulled him close to his face.

"Turn around and walk away...you saw nothing," he whispered menacingly and in a way that had Helen shivering.

The young man nodded and got up.

"What is it?" asked the old man.

"Just a pipe," said the man, backing away from the cabinet.

Nikola didn't waste any time, silently creeping out after him.

The young man spun on his heel suddenly, his gun drawn, but Nikola had seen that coming a mile away and shot the man in the knee sending him howling to the floor clutching his wounded leg.

"Sorry for that, I just have a low tolerance for being shot at," he clipped the older guy in the shoulder and grabbed Helen's hand to pull her to her feet.

They ran out of the boathouse before Helen could barely register she was on her feet.

"Nikola...that was..." she said out of breath.

"The old dog has a few tricks up his sleeve, what can I say?" Nikola spun around and was suddenly only a few inches away from her, his grip on her hand changing to entwine their fingers. "You can thank me later."

Whatever compliment she was going to pay him burnt up on her tongue at his cocky expression.

"It was reckless, you could've jeopardized the whole thing," she put her hands on his chest to push him away but he grasped them in his before she could.

"It's okay to be turned on by danger, I'll admit it's one of my favorite qualities of yours," he grinned and winked at her.

"Oh please, be serious Nikola, I..."

"It's why you risked hide and limb to get me back, you missed me."

"You are trouble," Helen stuck a pointed finger into his firm chest.

"And you like trouble, don't you Miss Magnus. Gets the blood running!"

His hands made a fluttering gesture that just fueled her growing annoyance.

"I had orders!" she barked.

Suddenly a shot broke their argument.

"Over here!" cried the old man.

Nikola and Helen ducked and began crawling further away.

"I should've just left you in New York to solve your own problems instead of help you die," Helen whispered as they continued, dodging a hailstorm of bullets bouncing off all the metal surfaces and hanging boats blocking their path.

"Yes but Helen, then we couldn't continue our little game," he half chuckled.

"What game?" Helen whispered exasperated.

"The whole I save you, you save me, you deny your feelings, we end up shagging in the back of the cargo plane taking us back to England, then we don't speak to each other till the next one of us needs saving," he still held her hand as he led her through the maze of boat junk.

"Is that how you see the rest of this evening going?" Helen rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I look forward to it," he tugged her behind some crates halfway on to his lap as their attackers finished off the round of bullets.

"Well sorry to disappoint," Helen yanked herself out of his warm grasp.

"We haven't gotten there yet," he smirked. He cocked his weapon and waited for them to stop firing before spinning on to his knees and firing three exact shots, each one landing their mark. Shoulder, Shoulder, Knee.

He ducked back down.

"Do you have another plan for getting out of this dock?" he asked her impatiently.

She gave him an unamused look.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," she cocked her own weapon and fired five shots each one finding their target. Shoulder, Shoulder, Hand, Neck, Thigh.

"You wouldn't happen to have some grenades hiding in their somewhere?" his hands shot out and immediately grabbed for her breasts, she looked down then looked back up and let out a disgusted growl, slamming the butt of her gun into his forehead.

He flew back and grasped his head.

"Ow," he whined.

"Serves you right," she growled.

"Remind me why I left Jeannette to come here?" he leaned up and shot 6 perfect shots. Shoulder, Shoulder, Knee, Knee, Hand, Foot.

"Because you're a horny idiot," Helen teased, before firing her weapon seven times. Shoulder, Head, Rib, Thigh, Shoulder, Sternum, metal sheet - "Dammit!"

"Ha! I win!" Nikola exclaimed.

Helen growled and grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt.

"Move!" she threatened and shoved him in the direction she wanted them to go. They ducked into a narrow passage way and ran back out to he docks.

Nikola tossed the small hand pistol away, it was empty.

Helen tossed away hers as well.

"Well, that was interesting," he muttered.

Before he could comprehend Helen had grabbed his shirt and yanked him towards her, kissing him ferociously. His hands grasped at her arms as his mind fought to catch up with his lips before he began to kiss back just as strongly, literally sucking the breathe out between the two of them.

Just as he was getting into it she shoved him away again.

"I hate you," she grumbled and marched away.

"Well, if that's how you hate," he chuckled and spread his arms wide in the open air. "Hate away!"

"Will you hurry up?" Helen barked.

He dropped his arms and followed her.

Helen was visibly livid. Why out of all people did it have to be him? Why couldn't Eisenhower have requested the Loch Ness monster or Frankenstein or something like that, even Hitler would probably be easier to bring in than Tesla was.

She should just leave him here to be captured by the Germans and wait the few weeks it would take them to send him hurdling back. He was impossible.

She reached her destination and knelt at a small cellar like compartment with a large lock on it.

She pulled out the key and unlocked the doors and pulled out a primitive radio.

Nikola scoffed. Useless piece of technology, he could make one ten times more effective and harder to detect. In fact he had the concept for one in his bag...

He looked down.

Shit.

He looked behind him.

"Oh you idiot," he muttered to himself.

"EagleLady to Moby Dick, come in? The doctor is sick and needs a wake up call."

"Moby Dick to EagleLady. Medicine en route."

Nikola rolled his eyes.

"We have to go back," he said.

Helen blinked.

"What?"

"I left my bag, we have to go back," he said adamantly.

"Are you seriously willing to risk your life for a couple of silk shirts?" Helen looked at him disbelievingly.

"Helen, there is more than shirts in that suitcase of mine. There are some thing's in there I doubt anyone would like to have fall into the Nazi's hands."

Helen's eyes widened.

"Fine," she nodded. "EagleLady to Moby Dick. The doctor will be needing service at the hospital, swing by for a check up on Barlington way."

"Copy over."

Nikola rolled his eyes again.

"You guys sound like idiots. Even a five year old could read through that code like it were a fairy tale."

"Let's hope the Germans haven't brought 5 year olds who understand English with them," Helen was trying really hard not to hit him at this point.

She stood up and locked the radio away again before turning and brushing the dust off her jacket.

"Now, can we get your stuff and be done with this?" she barked and Nikola smirked and nodded for her to lead the way.

They went a round-a-bout way so as not to get seen by their hunters. Now they were both weaponless and had no chance to win in a firefight though Helen would gladly use Nikola as a meat shield, though he might have issues with that.

"Where'd you leave it?" she whispered.

"In the main area, I think I managed to kick it under a shelving unit when the light went out, hopefully these dimwits have been too caught up chasing after us to notice it.

"Didn't you have two cases?" she asked.

"Yes, but the important one is the leather suitcase, it contains all my papers and sketches and my toiletries, the other one just holds my shirts, and I can always buy more."

"Of course, with your inheritance and all."

"I never thought I would need it but hey, I guess I did," he smirked.

Helen looked up to one of the windows.

"Give me a boost," she muttered.

"You can't see anything in there, it's pitch dark," he rolled his eyes.

"Will you just...please," she smacked his shoulder.

"Fine," he got on one knee and braced himself. "Take off those heels. I may be a vampire but I don't enjoy the feeling four inches of plastic digging into my thigh."

"Shame," Helen teased, and kicked her heels off.

She climbed on to leg, she waivered trying to find her balance and her crotch momentarily smooshed into his face and his hands came to her hips to steady her. After she caught her equilibrium atop his knee she realized the rather provocative position they were in and smacked him on the top of his head.

"If you don't mind," she growled.

"That was not my fault."

"You didn't have to enjoy it."

"Helen, I'm still human."

She rolled her eyes and stood on tiptoe to look through the window. Silently she was grateful for his hands on her hips keeping her from tipping off his leg.

"It appears empty, I think we'll be fine, we just have to hurry," she got off his knee and quickly put her shoes back on.

"And by we you mean me, right?"

"Precisely, I'll keep watch."

Nikola sighed and stood up, his leg protesting, prompting him to stretch it.

"You have boney feet," he whined, limping after her.

"You have whimpy legs, now go get your stuff," Helen checked her watch. "Our boat will be here momentarily.

Helen opened the door to the boathouse and Nikola sneered at her, moving past her into the dark space. His night vision helped him to locate his suitcase exactly where he thought it would be though his other bag he found floating in the boat port.

He sneered disapprovingly and grasped his suitcase and went outside to Helen.

"You owe me 6 new shirts," he muttered to her.

"I don't owe you anything," she growled.

A roaring sound came down the channel. A motorized boat came ripping on the water.

Voices of the chasers echoed behind them as they ran to the end of the dock.

Gunshots hailed the boats arrival both fired at and upon. Nikola maneuvered himself between Helen and the gunfire as three men came running up the dock behind them.

He grasped Helen's waist as they reached the end of the dock, the boat was still a bit off.

"When I say jump, jump," he whispered, pressing a deft kiss to her shoulder. He peeked behind him as the men stopped and pointed the guns at him.

This was going to suck.

He blanketed Helen completely with his body.

The boat slowed down only marginally, enough for Helen and Nikola to actually launch themselves into it.

Nikola calculated it all in his head.

"Jump!"

Shots were fire as they launched into the air, he felt two or three bullets pierce into his back. With eyes closed both he and Helen landed into the back of the boat. Nikola rolled away from Helen and grasped the nearest weapon he could get his hands on and began firing at the enemy with rapid accuracy.

He picked off two or three men before they got out of range.

He sat down and winced.

Helen looked up at him.

"Did they get you?" she asked, sitting up to her knees and crawling over to him.

"Just a few shots to the back, it'll heal once I get them out," he waved it off. "Doesn't hurt all that much. This does remind me of our first evening in Egypt. Cairo, 1917."

Helen smiled knowingly.

"At least this time you didn't get shot in the head."

"True," he smirked.

"Helen, you all right?" asked one of them men on the boat.

"Yes Charlie, thanks," Helen nodded.

"This the guy?" asked Charlie, pointing at Nikola.

"Yes, Charlie this is Nik-...Nick," she stopped herself from giving away his real name.

"Nice to meet you Nick," Charlie offered his hand and Nikola shook it.

"American, how charming," Nikola gave Helen a look.

"We'll be at the drop off point in no time," Charlie said a tad too unmilitaristically.

"Helen, who have you got working for you?" he leaned over and whispered to her when he was out of earshot. "I know a military man when I see one."

"A couple of mercenaries working off a debt...like any soldier would risk his skin and reputation to come here and retrieve your sorry arse."

"Hey, my sorry arse just saved your life, show it a bit more respect than that," he teased and Helen softened.

She pecked his cheek.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, then patted his shoulder. "Turn around, let me get those bullets out of you."

He complied.

By the time they reached the plane he had stopped complaining about how evil she was with a pair of tweezers.

They were loaded into a small cargo plane on a tiny airstrip in the middle of nowhere.

Charlie climbed into the co-pilot seat leaving Nikola and Helen effectively alone.

They were airborne in less than an hour and heading back to the American headquarters in London where Eisenhower had a nice cushy lab to lock Nikola in.

Helen and Nikola sat facing each other.

Helen noted the dirt and blood streaks and grime covering Nikola's hands, face and clothes. The look made him seem rather ruggedly handsome.

She was kicking herself because Nikola had been right. Seeing him in action and having him all over her, hands, body, mouth, she did want to jump on to his lap and give him a piece of her mind, starting with her lips.

He was smirking at her, his eyes dancing with mischief. That tale old mischief she knew meant he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Damn, they should really stop sleeping together. She always walked away more frustrated and he always walked away knowing her just that tad bit more making it easy for her to come back into his arms when she was ready for him. They hadn't technically had any of that kind of contact since their botched attempt at a long lasting relationship when they both realized that she would never truly trust him and he would always want a safety net to fall back on, that wasn't love, that was two people kidding themselves into thinking they could ever have any semblance of a normal relationship. Did that mean that for the next hundred years or so they would collide in a full body culmination of pent up emotions and physical need and just screw each other senseless?

She looked over at him again. His hair stuck up at odd angles, his wiry muscles were just visible underneath his shirt. She had first hand experience of how that lean body could harness magnificent strength.

He was still smiling.

Yes, she could live with herself.

She leaned over to him.

"Do you think it's about time?" she whispered to him.

"Time for what?" he leaned his head closer to hers.

She smirked. Cocky bastard.

She leaned over and kissed him, tenderly at first, but soon she all but lunged for him, collapsing into his embrace. Her hands clutched his head, his hair in her fingers. She was on his lap, his arms wrapped around her waist.

She wanted power over him, she gripped his hair even tighter and pulled him more into her.

He came willingly, rough hands grabbing skin and grasping and teasing. She yanked his hair again and he chuckled, trailing a hot trail down her neck.

"Helen," he groaned sensually.

"Yes," she said breathlessly.

"What I said about...about us...our game..." he peppered her neck with hot sultry kisses.

"Yes," Helen groaned.

He hesitated a moment before trailing back up to her lips.

"Well," he kissed her hotly and briefly before pulling away and smiling. Her eyes were closed as she waited for him to ravish her. His face was bathed in moonlight and he grinned at the wanton goddess sitting above him. He tucked his head in and rested it on her neck, his fingers quivering up her sides, his own desperate twinge invading the way his breathe came in and out. Damn he was hot when he was too turned on to control himself.

She ran her hands through his hair roughly as he continued to place hot open mouthed kissed on her neck.

"Well what Nikola?" Helen moaned.

"Well...I was kidding."

If any words could ruin that moment, it was that.

The grip she had on his head sent him shoving back into his seat.

He chuckled as she climbed off his lap and back to her seat.

"You bastard."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't let you go through with it, though it's nice of you to prove my point."

"What point?" she snapped.

"That you have a thing for dangerous men," he chuckled.

Helen was fuming on the inside.

"Never again," she spat.

"You were having fun up until then."

"Never again!"

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Woohoo! It's Tesla! Have you missed him, I have. Teasing, cheeky, snarky Tesla. Flirting with Magnus, just like they should. I tell you, it was a breath of relief to finally write Tesla like this after so much heartbreak and wishing and and Helen being so...argh! So to keep track, we've seen Innocent Tesla, Angry Tesla, Tesla-in-love, Scared Tesla, Longing Tesla, a bit of cheeky Tesla, Flirty Tesla, all which have come to create this...what i like to call Horny Tesla, mixed with a bit of I don't give a shit what you think Tesla. He's rather lovely isn't he?

I've been rather busy writing all these updates for you, I'm almost running out, so I can't promise that the next update will be this quick, but hopefully it be there soon. Thank you for all your support in me and in this fic, truly your reviews are a blessing, I would've given in long ago if it weren't for you. I hope you enjoy the last arc of this...very long fic.


	57. Forever and Always (2)

**Chapter 57 – Forever and Always (Part 2)**

_**~~~~New York, 1942~~~~**_

Nikola looked out the window.

It was dark outside, just midnight. All the lights of his apartment were turned off, the only light being the moon streaming through his windows.

He held a small bottle in his hand containing these small white pills.

He hated drugs of any sort. He did not find the enjoyment of being induced out of your mind, he hated forgetting and he hated being out of control even more.

But for this to work he had to entrust his control to someone else.

He had everything sorted. All his important works he had sent off to a safe location, all the unimportant papers he locked away in the safe, Helen would handle the rest. Except for one small box he entrusted Helen to move for him safely before the FBI got their hands on it. It was full of important trinkets, letters and pictures that were of personal sentimentality.

Letters from Katherine, pictures of Rose, various things of the like, and his most valued treasure, the ring he had bought for Helen.

He held it up, it's small diamond twinkling in the light.

He shouldn't keep it, but he couldn't throw it away. He kept it in case...in case what? Helen came back to him, in case he actually worked up the courage to tell her how he really felt. Hope was what it was really. Hope that one day he could have what he truly wanted.

He put the ring back in the box. He topped it with the lid then tied it securely with a ribbon. The package said To Helen on the front for Helen to find.

He took the bottle of pills gain and eyed them with a certain scrutiny.

_"Take these, they will slow your heart down to a crawl, they'll think you passed away from a heart condition and you'll look believable enough to pull it off."_

_"Very Romeo and Juliet don't you think?"_

_"I thought you'd like that. Now don't worry, the coroner is a friend of mine, he'll make the switch to the cadaver. When you wake up you'll be in the morgue and I'll be here to transport you to the train station."_

Nikola bit his lip as he rolled the bottle in his hands again.

Who knew dying would be this complicated?

He sat on the bed and popped the collar of his shirt open, he felt like he needed to breathe for this. Ironic, he thought.

He popped the pills into his mouth, the entire bottle and swallowed them dry, slipping the bottle into his pocket.

He leaned against the pillows and made himself comfortable. It was going to be like sleeping, nothing to worry about right?

He sighed. His vision blurred slightly as he began counting ceiling tiles.

He blacked out he was sure of it; he had no idea for how long. But when his vision returned through his bleary eyes he could see her. Helen.

"Shhh," she pressed a finger to his lips.

Not like he could form words anyways.

She was lying next to him cradling her head on one of her hands; the other was trailing up and down his body in long heavy sweeps.

It must be a dream.

His dilated pupils rolled over her. Her hair looked darker, but that could've been the light.

"Shhh," she whispered softly. "It's ok, Nikola, I will see you through this."

He gurgled as his confession threatened to slip through his lips.

"Hel...dream?" he choked out.

She smiled softly at him and rested her hand on his abdomen.

Softly as ever, she leaned down and kissed him. A gurgled moan escaped him as their lips met. He had no idea if he was kissing her back but god how he wanted to.

She pulled back slightly letting her lips slowly slide away from his.

"I...love..."

"Shhh," her finger rested on his lips, silencing him. "Don't talk, let me do this for you."

She had a glint of something he couldn't describe dancing in her eyes and in her smile.

This must be a dream.

Her smile quickly turned mischievous. Her hands slipped from his mouth and slid down his torso to his pants.

He tried to form words. What was she doing? Why? Who?

Her eyes stayed lock on his, even as her hand unbuttoned his pants and reached inside.

Through his dull mind he felt the glorious pressure that felt like it was coming from somewhere else entirely, that he was swimming in this glorious feeling. His breath hitched, his back arched and his eyes rolled back in his skull.

She leant down and kissed his neck and collarbone, nuzzling him softly. She knew he couldn't feel it, not really, he was overloaded with the pleasure of her hand caressing him that he probably didn't even know that it was her doing it. The drugs were clouding everything. That's why she chose this moment to do it. He needed comfort, and dammit, she missed him.

She stopped her ministrations and removed her hand, buttoning his pants again. She smoothed the clothes over his torso and pressed one last kiss to his lips.

He was out completely, the drugs and her manipulations knocking him out cold.

He was beautiful in this moment. So fragile and vulnerable; trusting her to take care of him.

She laid her head on his chest, his heartbeat was beyond slow; it was crawling. She could hear it beat just faintly. This was as close to dead as she could stand for him.

She pushed away from him. She only had this small window of time before she had to leave. It was not enough; it was never enough.

She got off the bed and grabbed her coat and hat off the chair.

She headed to the door when a small thing caught her eye.

A small package, addressed to her.

Her curiosity got the best of her and she untied the neat ribbon on the box.

She held it up to the light to look at its contents. His letters, his pictures; small little trinkets he deemed keepsakes. Except...one thing caught her eye, if she hadn't been in control she would've dropped the box out of shock. She picked up the object and put the box down.

She held it up to the moonlight.

His ring...her ring.

She had no idea he'd kept this.

The sight of it almost brought a tear to her eyes.

She looked back to him sleeping and bit her lip.

In that moment she knew why she never knew he'd kept it. Whose going to hold on to things that are lost?

In a moment of pure selfishness she slipped the ring on her finger and admired it in the light of the window. It still fit perfectly.

She put the lid back on the box and neatly tied it up again, setting it back where she had found it.

He would forgive her eventually.

She looked back to him and went over and kneeled by his bedside.

She kissed him softly, tenderly, lovingly.

"Yes," she whispered. "Forever and always."

With that she turned on her heel and disappeared into the night.

Nikola gasped awake shortly after. His eyes were rolling around in his skull, still bleary and out of it. He looked around lost, for what was actually several minutes only felt like half a second to him. One moment she was there, kissing him, holding him...touching him...then the next she was...gone.

Must've been a dream.

He sighed sadly before letting himself surrender to the pull of the drugs, into that sleep so close to death it was almost frightening.

It had only been a dream.

_**~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~**_

The American Headquarters had taken root in one of the old mansion like palaces belonging to one Duke or another lent to their use by the king.

Nikola only ever saw two rooms. His lab, his bedroom and the hallway connecting the two. Both were heavily guarded, as well as the grounds.

People would believe that the military guard was there in case of invasions. In fact it was because he had a tendency to try and escape. It happened the first week he'd arrived and he had succeeded somewhat...which prompted them to design a tracking device, with Helen's help, and strap it to his leg, as well as Helen giving them the instructions that if he tried it again just to shoot him in the head.

So he was stuck, forced labor, to help win the war, a war he was swiftly becoming bored with, but as per his agreement they kept him fully supplied with excellent wine.

And then there were the secretaries.

His eyes wandered up the skirt of the young woman who walked into the lab with his lunch.

"Is that all you'll be needing Mr. Tesla?" she was coy, oh lord, he couldn't resist.

He stood up and went over to examine the tray.

"I believe so, Emily," he grinned. She smelt of soap and ink, and her eyes were green and her hair auburn. Her accent, oh it was the cherry on top of the delicious cake she was. British intelligence, with a dash of Irish sex princess. "But if you come by later I may be in need of your service."

When did he become such a horny bastard?

She didn't move, just blushed slightly, played with her hair, moving it subtly to the side and exposing her neck for him.

Aw hell, he needed her now.

"Would you like to see my latest invention Emily?" he asked grasping her incredibly soft hand in his. Oh lord, they felt like butter and silk...imagine that sliding down -

He shook his head to clear his mind.

"Yes, I would like that very much."

Nikola grinned and took her over to what appeared to be a big typewriter.

"What does it do?" she asked.

"It's a message machine, able to transport messages over great distances. Say we had one of these in France, they type the message, we receive it here, and there is no way the Germans can intercept it."

"That's brilliant Professor."

He smirked. That was apparently his code name, in case he had to be transported out of HQ to another secret location.

Nikola had maneuvered them into quite the position now. He stood behind her with his arms on either side of her, so close her body heat was radiating off him. His nostrils were filled with her scent and dammit if she knew what the slight sway of her hips was doing to his brain.

"You are truly a genius, Mr. Tesla," she slightly fingered the device, moving her head in such a way that exposed her gorgeous long neck to him.

"And you are truly delectable..."

He couldn't resist any more and his lips were on her neck, tenderly sucking her sweet flesh. He didn't care who came in any more.

And she, playing him like a fiddle no doubt, rocked her hips back into his, like he really need to be spurred on further.

In one last desperate move to cling to rationality he pulled back.

"I'm sorry, I, we..."

She turned around in his arms and locked her lips with his.

That little minx knew exactly what she was doing to him, and had been doing for the past three weeks. Tempting him with dropped spoons that needed picking up. Neck massages when he was tense. All those flirty looks, that lingering touch that just screamed please take me in a supply closet. And he would if it weren't for his damn guard.

He grabbed her hips and hoisted her on to the workbench, scooting his invention out of the way. To hell, he could rebuild it again; he'd already made three exact copies.

Her skirt hiked up to her thighs because of his wandering hands, his hair woven tightly around her fingers.

He took a deep breath and smiled at her before continuing his assault on her mouth. Their tongues dueled together, sliding over each other. He had to move a hand out to support himself because any moment his knees were going to buckle and she was going to end up with his face in her lap. One of her hands slid from his head and began fiddling with his tie.

He moved from her lips to her neck.

"Honestly Professor, I hoped you would've caught on sooner," she chuckled, still teasing his scalp with her perfect nails.

"I had to be sure I wasn't imagining it, Eisenhower is looking for any reason to shoot me," he switched over to the other side of her neck.

She laughed. Had God ever made such a perfect sound?

"You have been the death of me these last few weeks, all your teasing... been driving me up the bloody wall," he groaned and kissed her again.

"Good," she teased. "I've gone to sleep every night with a pillow between my legs."

Could she get any hotter?

Yep. Done for, he was done for.

He attacked her with a renewed fervor. Oh Emily...nothing could ruin this moment.

"Ahem."

Except that.

Nikola looked up from his glorious secretaries lips and saw Helen standing there looking wholly unimpressed.

He reluctantly pulled away.

"We'll have to postpone...looks like I have an impromptu meeting," he said to Emily giving her a soft smile. "Perhaps later, tonight."

She smiled.

"I'll have to see if it's in my schedule," she teased and leant by his ear. "Leave the door open for me."

He helped her off the counter and she straightened her skirts before he gave her a smile. She winked back at him and gave him a firm butt squeeze just out of the sight of Helen. It took every fiber of his being not to yelp.

She smirked and coolly walked out of the room, not even paying Helen any heed.

"Nikola," Helen groaned.

Nikola was still watching her leave.

"Oh Helen, I think I'm in love."

"With who? The artillery maid?"

"She's my secretary."

"So what I walked in on was just a little conjugation. Helping you with a little shorthand was she?"

Nikola gave her a look.

"Don't be bitter just because its not you," he teased.

"Can we just...talk," she sighed. "Not about this."

Before she could continue James and Nigel entered.

"I tell you she was looking right at me," Nigel finished saying.

"Just drop it Nigel," James sighed.

"Hey Nikola, that secretary of yours, is she single?"

"NO!" Nikola and Helen barked simultaneously.

"All right, yeesh, don't bite my head off," he shrugged.

James gave them a tell tale eyebrow raise.

"Please, gentlemen we have more important manners to discuss," Helen tried to steer the conversation back to business before the whole thing dissolved into blather about female body parts.

"Right, the mission," sighed Nikola. "I'd almost forgotten,"

Helen glared at him.

"We are currently the foremost experts on Abnormals and our contacts have suggested to us that Hitler may have acquired a very powerful abnormal which he will plan to use to turn the tide of war in his favor."

"Yes, yes, we all read the briefing," mumbled Nikola. "Something to do with weather which will thwart our plan of attack on the beach front. We get it, you have no idea how many times one of those higher ups come in here to remind me of my part in the war effort, get to the part where we actually go there and stop it."

"You're not going anywhere, Nikola, it is only James, Nigel and I who will be heading to France," said Helen.

"What? You can't be serious?" Nikola grumbled.

"Eisenhower wants you here. You can't be trusted," Helen shook her head.

"Because of one escape attempt, please Helen, I'm the best candidate to go, I'm practically a guarantee that the job will get done."

"Yes, but there is no guarantee that you will come back," Helen sighed and he grumbled.

"Yah but by that time the war would have been won and Eisenhower and his lackey's won't need me anymore," shrugged Nikola.

"Back on topic," James grumbled.

"Thank you, James," sighed Helen. "As I said, Nigel, James and I will be meeting with members of the Resistance in France who will help us get the plans for the Weather Machine, and turn it off so that our American troops can –"

"Swoop in and save the day," Nikola teased.

"It's either Hitler or us and I'll be damned if it's Hitler," Helen said determinedly.

"I think we would be all damned if I was Hitler," mumbled Nikola.

"Will you be serious for one moment, Nikola!" Helen barked.

"Hey, I'm here against my will, I'm allowed to grumble. You should've just left me in France, I would've been a much better help to you," Nikola whined.

"Oh yes because you shagging up the French ladies is tantamount to working for the Allied governments," Helen glared at him.

"You'd surprised what some women will scream out under the hands of a master," Nikola smirked.

James rolled his eyes.

Helen growled in frustration and disgust.

Nigel snickered.

"At least Nigel appreciates me," Nikola said indignantly.

"You're staying here!" Helen barked. "That's final, stop whining about it!"

"Fine," he sighed and leaned against the table, crossing his arms.

"We leave in an hour," Helen continued to James and Nigel.

They both nodded in response.

"Nikola, we want to try out your new device, is it ready?" asked Helen.

Nikola looked up.

"Helen, what else do you think I've been doing?" he gestured to the room around him.

"Aside from wasting my time?" Helen said crossly.

"Yes, it's ready," he seethed.

He picked up the smaller counterpart to the large typewriter.

"It will work, just keep it safe and dry," he placed a special lid on the box that locked onto the device's base creating it's own carrier.

He handed it to Helen.

"Please don't break it," he teased.

"God forbid that, how ever will you get your Nobel prize?" Helen rolled her eyes. "Now, Nikola will be here to help strategize, and as a front liner from us to Eisenhower. Understood?"

Nikola nodded.

"How are we getting into France? Won't the Nazis be guarding every land strip and harbor?" asked Nigel.

"We'll be dropped, a couple hundred miles outside of Paris in a Resistance controlled zone and from there they will get us to Carentan," said Helen.

"With any luck it will be all smooth sailing from there," added James.

"Good luck with that," muttered Nikola.

"Can we trust you not to get too distracted while we're gone?" Helen turned to Nikola and glared at him pointedly.

"Well it's not like I'm going on vacation," Nikola sneered.

Helen gave him another glare.

"Alright then, gentlemen, we leave in the hour," Helen nodded to James and Nigel and they both turned and left.

"Bye bye, bring me back some French wine, a good vintage, either a Bordeaux or a Claret, you know what surprise me," Nikola teased as he waved.

Nigel and James waved back.

"Yeah, yeah," they waved him off.

When they were gone Helen turned to Nikola, her demeanor softening somewhat.

Nikola turned and smiled to her.

"Miss me?" he asked coyly.

Helen huffed and swatted his shoulder.

"You are impossible," she sighed.

He chuckled.

"It's not too late, you could still take me with you," he took her hand and kissed the top of it lightly.

"It's not me, Nikola, otherwise you would be chained to the wall," she sighed.

"Ooh, be still my beating heart," he grinned at her mischievously.

She swatted him again.

"You know what I mean," she glared at him.

"Come on, you and the guys always get to go on these little adventures. I don't mind saying Helen that I'm beginning to feel tremendously left out."

"I'll try to keep you in the loop as much as I can," she lifted up the device for emphasis.

"Right. You remember my instructions for how to operate it, right?" he asked.

"Yes I remember the very thorough demonstration," she rolled her eyes.

"Hide it somewhere only you can find it," he intimated.

"I know," she sighed.

"And this," he grabbed something from underneath his workbench. "Try to keep it on at all times."

He opened a small velvet box.

"What is it?" her curiosity was piqued.

Inside the box was what looked like a beautifully simple silver bracelet.

"It's made to look trivial, more like a keepsake and less like a device, in case you get into trouble over there," he lifted it out of the box and grabbed her arm, putting it on her wrist. "If you get caught I'll be able to track that bracelet to anywhere, as long as it's on you."

Helen was flattered at the simple accessory.

"Nikola that's unnecessary – "

"Helen, please, just humor me," he sighed. "I get it that I can't go with you but can I at least have some assurance that you'll be safe."

His concern melted her heart a little.

Despite all that had happened the past few years they were still friends. More than friends in a way. They weren't lovers or even sleeping together for that matter. But through the years of fighting and loving there was one definite truth. They would always look out for one another, no matter what.

"Aww, you worried for me?" she teased him.

"What are best friends for?" he shrugged.

"Is that what you're calling yourself now?" she poked his chest.

"Hey, I have justly earned those rights. Out of all of us I'm the one who knows you best," he shrugged.

"What makes you say that?" Helen smirked, she couldn't wait to hear this.

"It's obvious Helen, I've gotten to know all sides of you…rather intimately…and I'm not just talking about sex," he grinned. "I've known you the longest, I've seen you at your best and your worst, I know your love and your hate. I know your body…quite well…and I like to think I'm well acquainted with your mind," he smirked. "Hence I am your best friend."

"Or my greatest annoyance," she teases.

"And that's the other thing, you don't treat me like you treat James and Nigel. They're brothers, they are there for you when you are in need of comfort, and look after you, and all that. But I'm the one you tell secrets, I'm the one you play with. Friend. Bested!" he grinned triumphantly.

"You have a mighty high opinion of yourself," she grinned back.

"And I maintain it with complete confidence," he said smugly.

Helen chuckled and rolled her eyes, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"You really are a moron beneath that genius guise of yours," she sighed.

"Doesn't stop you from loving me," he grinned.

"All right, I've had about enough of you as I can stand. I'll message you when we arrive. Please try not to shag the secretary on top of the device, if you can manage it."

She turned to leave.

"You'll keep the bracelet on, won't you?" he asked.

"For you, of course," she smiled softly.

"That's all I ask," he smiled and gestured grandly in farewell.

"Please behave while I'm gone."

"No promises," he called after her.

"Cheeky monkey!"

"Control freak!"

"Troublemaker!"

"Warmonger!"

Nikola chuckled as she disappeared.

Troublemaker…good one.

He snickered and looked around his office absently.

Well, it's not like he had anything better to do.

He pressed the button on the intercom on his desk.

"Oh Emily," he sing-songed into the speaker. "Could I see you for a moment?"

"What is it, Professor?"

"Nothing…just a little…long hand I could use your help with."

There was a ten second pause, and dammit if it didn't just spurn him on.

"I'll be there in just a minute, Professor," she said as professionally as possible.

"Is that how long it will take you to finish your work?" he teased.

"That's how long it will take to remove my underwear," she whispered back.

Nikola froze with absolute desire, shock, and just a hint of desperation, his hand stuck on the intercom button.

Dammit, Helen would just have to wait.

_**~~~~Later~~~~**_

True to his word. He did not shag her on top of the autotype.

Just…very close by it…in case it started clicking or something.

Her hands were so deeply entangled in his hair he was sure he was missing chunks of it. Her legs wounds around his hips tightly, encouraging him closer, and his hands wound around her back and clutched at her white blouse that clung to her sweaty back.

He grunted and his lips disconnected from hers. One of his hands shooting out ot catch himself on the workbench.

"Oh lord, I wanted to do that from the moment you were assigned to me," he groaned, sucking in huge gulps of air.

"Why didn't you?" she sighed just as breathlessly.

"I don't know, professionally courtesy," he chuckled straightening himself up.

"I hope this time you realize…"

"Oh yeah," he nodded and laughed, leaning into to kiss her once a gain. "Won't be making that mistake again."

She giggled as his hands clutched her face, playfully kissing her and maneuvering her to lie on the workbench.

"Ahem," a brusque military voice coughed and ruined the beautifully enchanting moment with his Irish sex princess.

He looked up to see the young commander with his chest puffed out standing at attention.

"Can't you knock?" he asked snidely.

Emily sprung up and hopped off the workbench and behind Nikola to straighten herself out.

"Sorry, sir, urgent message from Eisenhower," the officer held out a slip of paper.

Nikola took it and was about to unfold it.

"Ah, ah, ah," warned the officer and pointed to Emily.

Nikola looked at Emily and she looked back at him with an equal amount of confusion on her face.

Nikola handed her the slip of paper and read it.

Her green eyed widened in shock.

"I'm being transferred?" she gasped, looking up to the officer.

"What?" Nikola looked at the paper and read it carefully. "By whose recommendation?"

"Dr. Magnus, sir," said the officer and Nikola growled.

"Of course it is," he seethed.

"You are being moved to a new division immediately," continued the officer. "You'll have a new secretary by the end of the day."

He didn't want a new secretary, he liked the one he had.

"Oh," Emily fixed her hair and looked at Nikola. "I guess I have to go then."

Nikola looked at her with a look of longing.

"Can you give us a moment, please," he asked the officer, he nodded but didn't leave. "You're dismissed."

The officer nodded.

"Thank you sir," he curly bowed and left.

"Oh damn that woman!" Nikola cried.

"She has you on a tight leash, has she?" Emily grinned.

"She can't stand me having a bit of fun, that joyless wench!" Nikola writhed, sticking his nose in the crease of her neck and nuzzling it gently.

Emily chuckled and kissed the side of his head gently.

"Well, we at least had a bit of fun before it was over, right?" she consoled him gently.

"She thinks you'll distract me from my work," he whined.

"And will I?" she grinned deviously.

"Yes, but it would be a welcome distraction," his hand slid down her curves, the curves he had just moment ago wrapped around his body, and now they were walking away. He was going to miss those hips.

"Maybe we'll cross paths again," she said putting on her blazer and heels.

He was going to miss that butt too. He watched her as she leant over to fetch her shoes.

"Tell me one thing before you go," he called to her as she continued to walk out. "Was it worth getting possibly kicked out of the army for?"

She turned and gave him a big smirk.

"Definitely," she chuckled and then walked professionally out of the lab.

Nikola sighed; he could live with that.

_**~~~~January 7, 1943~~~~**_

It was the late shift. No one was around on the late shift, all the late night partiers had brought their dates or wives up already with a bottle of champagne and some hushed laughter.

She liked working this shift. It was quiet, few people, and him. This was his floor, she always cleaned it at night, in fear of seeing him in the day. She traded shifts, had been for years, the she got herself on the night cleaning duty. Now she was free to clean the halls. It was ridiculous, really, to be this scared of one man. Time had gone by, she was now married, to a soldier no less, and really it had happened so quickly she knew it was nothing more than a distraction. Her soldier, her husband, she didn't love him, not enough anyways. Now she had one son, named Nicolas…I don't know, it was fitting. And with the timing so close…sometimes she caught herself pretending it was his. For that reason that little brown haired boy with blue-grey eyes was her world.

But even so, she allowed the fantasy as she cleaned the 40th floor.

There wasn't much to do on the night shift, just more or less comb the floors for any unwanted debris.

This whole floor…it smelt like him, his cologne, his musk. It was warm and comforting, especially on such cold nights as these.

God if he could see her now. She looked ten years older, with hollow eyes, pale skin, and her hair…it was down her back now. The few glimpses she'd seen of him from behind the concierge desk or through the elevator doors. He looked the same as he ever was, like not a day had gone by. He still smelt the same.

What was the nickname he used to call her? Peaches? Well. Whatever it was…it was long gone now.

Marriage dampened her spunk, work had worn her sparkle, and she put every effort into putting what she could save into her boy.

He'd call her a hypocrite for running off with some man-child and having his baby. Maybe that's why she couldn't ever look him in the eye. That and she could still…she could still see his face.

Memories clouded her mind, beautiful, wonderful, untainted memories that she'd preserved only for these times when she could be alone on this floor to dream about him awash in his scent.

When had she started thinking about that precious time as her youth. It was only about six years ago, she was hardly middle aged. Maybe the war made her feel old.

She sighed and continued her daydreaming.

Suddenly the door…his door, it clicked and opened with a deafening creak.

She quickly ducked into the shadows to hide herself. Maybe it was him, oh god if he saw her like this, she would rather launch herself out the hotel window.

The window down the corridor provided a little light for her to see the silhouette of whoever it was stepping outside of the hotel room. It surely couldn't be Mr. Tesla. Mr. Tesla never came out any more, come to think of it she rarely saw him either and you never saw them together ever. Not in all the years she worked here or how many times she had been in that room they were never in the room together…come to think of it she never had actually seen Tesla.

Her curiosity increased.

The form was muddled as it huddled to close the door behind them. It had to be Mr. Tesla.

Then the form straightened and brushed her long hair over her shoulders.

She recognized this woman…it was her…whoever she was…the one…she bit her lip. What was she doing here?

She wanted to follow the woman, go up to her and blame her for all her misery. That would cut her down to size wouldn't it?

She stepped out of the shadows and began her trek up to the woman. The woman didn't hear her and began heading the other way, to the stairwell.

The stairwell, perfect, she could scream at this woman to her hearts content without disturbing the slumbering guests.

She kept following, her chin up and her stance confident.

Then she passed the door and heard what sounded like a painful gasp and her mission was quickly forgotten. It was faint but she heard it. She went to the door and rested her ear against the fine wood, her fingers touching it gently.

Tesla? No, it was him…what did that woman do to him?

She pulled out her keys and quickly unlocked the door. Stepping inside without a second.

"Javor?" the name quivered on her lips.

The only light in the apartment was coming from the windows over looking the New York skyline.

"Javor? Tesla?" she called gently.

There was no response, and she shivered at the eeriness of it all.

She carefully tiptoed into the bedroom, there was a form in the bed she could see, but she wasn't sure if she should stir it. What if this was just a big misunderstanding then he would see her and see how far she'd fallen. She turned to go, deciding against it.

The sight of the early dawn through the windows stopped her. If he was in trouble no one would be here to check on him for a few hours and he could need immediate medical assistance.

She turned back to the bed and let out a sigh, mustering all her courage she gently reached down and pulled the cover down over the form.

Empty, motionless, grey eyes met her. She gasped.

He lay there. Him. Not Tesla. Him. His skin was cold, his body unmoving.

It couldn't be.

Her hand crawled to this neck and search for anything, a beat a flicker. He was stone cold dead.

She backed away from him, she didn't know what to do, she didn't have any words or thoughts or opinions. So she screamed.

_**~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~**_

Nikola sulked in his lab at the American Headquarters in the small town of Portsmouth.

Where was that insufferable women?

He looked over at his autotype.

It was still and quiet.

He growled. He was going to kill her when she got back. It was bad enough that he was stuck here, but she had to take away his only comfort, and he wasn't even done exploring all of her either.

It had been several hours since he had seen her and even fewer since he had his gorgeous ex-secretary wrapped around his waist.

"I should've gone," he growled.

He was getting bored of looking out the window waiting for that blasted machine to start working…and it was going to work, he had spent the last few months doing extensive tests. If it worked in Scotland it would work in France, god if anything worked in Scotland…

He shook his head.

His new secretary was to be arriving soon…maybe the new one would be just as much fun as the last one.

He snickered to himself.

He'd just have to meet her then…he was almost excited for it now. He hadn't thought that his new secretary could possibly be hotter than his last one.

Suddenly, as if on cue the door to his lab opened and a terribly cute, pixie-cut blonde woman entered and saluted at him.

He smiled. Thank you Helen.

"Hello," he said in greeting to the gorgeous woman. She wasn't quite Emily but she definitely had her redeeming features.

"Your new secretary, Professor," she said with a coy and undoubtedly sexy smile.

It sent all sorts of dirty messages to his brain.

"You don't say," he said with a devious smirk.

The woman turned and opened the door.

"Come in," she said.

That deflated him somewhat.

A young man entered and smiled at him. He wore his military uniform and had his hair neatly parted and slicked down and he stood proudly before Nikola. He could tell by the flags and medals this young man was American.

"Professor, it's an honor to assist you," he said with a military proficiency.

Damn you, Helen.

Nikola stared unimpressed at the chap.

"You're my new secretary?" he pointed a finger at the kid.

"Liason Officer, here to assist you with anything you might need," said the young man.

Nikola sneered.

"Swell," he grumbled.

He looked over at the cute blonde who stood waiting to be dismissed. He'd rather dismiss the yank and keep her at attention.

He sighed.

"You're dismissed," he said sadly.

She nodded and left the room. He watched her perfectly bouncing rear as she skipped out with a longing disappointment.

"I have heard so many stories, Mr. Tesla, they briefed me when they assigned me, can I say it's an honor to me a man of your…caliber," the young Officer said proudly.

"How much did they tell you?"

"I don't know if it's everything, but I do know your mission, your skill set, you're stubborn, oh, and also that you are an immortal vampire," the boy said smugly, as if he has a one-up over the aged scientist.

Nikola stared slightly impressed by his cocky attitude. Then sneered again.

"I'm not stubborn," he huffed.

"And also I'm not allowed to let you leave this room or leave you alone with any female personnel," added the young officer.

"Lovely," he grumbled.

"And that I'm to shoot you if you try to escape," the young man, as either a joke or for a point, pulled out his weapon and removed the safety then put it back in it's holster.

Nikola looked at him skeptically.

"Alright, I have rules for you then. When I ask for something you get it for me without question, you don't touch the autotype, or my wine, and if I'm need some important thing you better be prepared to bend over backwards to see that it is met," Nikola said not breaking eye contact, standing to full height.

"Isn't that what got your last secretary transferred?" teased the soldier.

Nikola guffawed. The Yankee Blue had a sense of humor.

"Your not my type," Nikola gave smirked. "But I will keep that in mind when the time comes for your personal review."

The soldier chuckled.

"Oh, and nothing that is said in this room goes out of this room unless I expressly say so, is that clear?" Nikola said authoritatively.

"Yes sir," the officer nodded.

"Good, now, I need a cup of tea, black, two sugars, no cream, one lemon, understood?"

"Tea. Black. Two sugars. One lemon. Got it," he nodded.

"Good, dismissed," Nikola waved him off and turned to his blackboard to distract himself with complex equations.

As soon as the officer was gone, the phone rang.

Nikola groaned and went over to it to pick it up.

"What?" he barked into the receiver.

"Enjoying your new assistant?" he recognized the voice on instant and seethed.

"You," he growled menacingly.

"I'm sorry Nikola," Helen laughed. "But I Had to ensure you'd keep your mind on the job and not up some woman's skirt."

"She was not just someone…she was special," he said lamely.

"Really?" Helen did not sound convinced.

"I shared a really special connection with her," Nikola continued.

"Oh yeah, I've had that before…it's not that great," Helen teased.

"You've never complained about it before," Nikola flirted and she laughed again.

"Nikola, seriously," Helen's tone changed. "We need you at your best."

Nikola sighed.

"All right, but you owe me when you get back," he muttered running a hand over his head.

"I'll take you for a night out on the terrace," she joked.

"As long as there is a bottle of wine and you're wearing a sheer gown I will not complain," Nikola shrugged.

"I'll send you message on the autotype when we have it in place," she said.

"Helen…" Nikola called before she could hang up.

The momentary silence frightened him a little.

"Yes, Nikola," her voice was soft and he felt a small smile crest his face.

"Give them hell for me," his smile upturned into a smirk.

"Will do," her voice rang with her smile and he chuckled.

"Later, Helen," he sat up off his desk to hang up the phone.

"Nikola…" Helen said.

"Yes," he said all-too-eagerly.

"Later," she sighed.

They hung up the phone simultaneously.

Nikola looked at the moment for a tense second. Wondering if that was what she truly meant to say to him…but he shook it off. He was tired of waiting for her, hoping for her. That's why he had resigned himself to being the second most important thing, her best friend. It was better than being nothing.

He went back to his blackboard and brought a hand to his chin as he contemplated a new theory. You know…just in case things didn't go as planned.

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

What do you think? You like?

The next update won't be as quick as the last few have been but I promise it's going to be a good. The penultimate chapter to the finale of this very long fic...long on my part, you guys probably feel like it's only just started. My goal is to possibly reach 250k words, but that will all depend on how long the next few chapters actually end up being. Are you excited, or sad that it's ending?

Well, have fun and enjoy reading.


	58. Forever and Always (3)

**Chapter 58 – Forever and Always (Part 2)**

_**~~~~New York, 1943~~~~**_

Nikola Tesla was dead!

The news ran through the hotel like wildfire. He had apparently died during the night of a heart attack, and the lobby was filled with journalists, cops, and interested bystanders.

Helen walked by all of them behind a short old man with glasses. He was the county coroner, and an old friend. They had spent all night faking evidence for this very case. The timeline had moved a bit sooner with the maid finding Nikola early this morning and screaming the entire building awake.

Helen barely had two hours of sleep, and she rubbed her eyes as they entered the elevator.

"Why couldn't she have waited until noon to have found him?" muttered Helen to her accomplice.

The old man snickered.

"Death waits for no one," he joked.

"What? It was 5 am, six? What was the maid doing?" Helen yawned.

"From what I hear she was doing a routine floor check up when she heard something coming from Tesla's room. She surpassed the do not disturb sign and went in to see if he was all right…that's when she found him," he sighed.

"I swear it would've been easier just to toss him off the roof," sighed Helen.

He chuckled at that.

"What was it you said? Let him die with grace?" teased her friend.

"He didn't want to ruin any of his suits," sighed Helen.

The elevator dinged and they disembarked, dragging the gurney behind them.

"I will say you could've chosen an easier location," he chuckled again.

"Ah you're here!" the hotel manager ran up to them. "We were starting to get worried."

"Why, he's already dead?" mumbled her companion.

"Yes, but…I don't know…no one's ever died in this hotel before," the manager said nervously.

"It won't be the last time I assure you," chuckled the old man.

A woman was down the hall crying, with two maids around her comforting her.

"Was she the one that found the body?" asked Helen.

"Yes, who are you?" asked the manager.

"She's my assistant," said the coroner.

"Well, the body's right in there, nobody's touched it," the manager sighed.

"Thank you, if you'll just wait out here," he muttered as he and Helen entered into Nikola's hotel room and closed the door behind him.

"You sure no one can see him?" asked Helen.

"They'll see what I want them to see. They want Tesla to be an 84 year old man that is what I've given them and in there minds if they did seem him they won't logically be able to justify it. Humans cling to logic like they do their mothers," muttered H.W. Wembly as he walked into the bedroom.

Helen froze.

"He really looks…"

"He's alive, but only just…it would take a highly trained medical practitioner to notice it. The pulse it so weak it may as well be non-existent but the blood is still flowing to all the essential parts," Wembly rested a hand on Nikola's forehead. "Damn he's cold. Remind me to tell him when he wakes up. His internal thermostat will be off for several days, I have something for him that will help counteract that."

Helen went over to Nikola and rested a hand on his cheek. The sight of him was rather frightening but she fought through it.

"How much longer will he be out?" she asked.

"A day, maybe two," Wembly reached into Nikola's pocket and pulled out the pill bottle. "Not a one left."

"I'll have to ask him what it's like?" Helen joked slightly.

"Probably like the worst fever you'll ever experience," Wembly brought over the gurney. "I'll need your help transferring him over."

Helen nodded and maneuvered around the bed to grab Nikola's feet.

"How does such a skinny man manage to be so heavy?" she grumbled as the hauled his limp body up and onto the gurney.

"Bone density and muscle weight," shrugged Wembly. "Any person is heavy when they're just dead weight…no pun intended," he grinned sheepishly and began strapping Nikola's body down.

"Cover him up, will you please, I can't stand to look at him like this," Helen sighed.

Wembly chuckled and grabbed a sheet off the bed.

"Is there anything he wished us to smuggle out for him?" chuckled the elderly man.

"I think so…" Helen began to scan the room. It wasn't like Nikola not to have planned beforehand.

"How about this?" asked Wembly. "It's addressed to you."

Helen took the small box from the coroner's hands.

"That's more like him, probably just some trinkets he'd rather have in my custody than the FBI's," she chuckled and placed the box in between Nikola's legs underneath the sheet.

"Now the hard part," sighed Wembly. "Getting him out of here without the press catching a glimpse, you'll have to hold down that end of the sheet while I hold this end. Reporters are sneaky bastards and they aren't above lifting up the sheet to snag a picture of the dead guy. They can't photograph him, my powers don't work like that," sighed Wembly.

"Understood," Helen nodded, gripping the end of the gurney in her hands.

"I've already made the fake photos with the cadaver, so that won't be a problem, we just have to make sure these are the only photo's they see," Wembly continued.

Helen exhaled a long breath and nodded.

"Off to the wolves," he muttered.

They wheeled the gurney out into the hallway. It was relatively in the same state it was when they had arrived. The small group of people stepped back as they pulled out of the room and maneuvered around so they could easily load on to the lift.

A cry nearly made Helen jump as the maid tore past the cluster of bodies clogging up the hall and flung herself on to Nikola's form. She sobbed clutching him. Who was the woman?

Helen stepped back and wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders.

"Excuse me, did you know this man?" Helen asked softly.

"Yes," the woman looked up with tear-stained eyes. "I loved him."

"You and Mr. Tesla were-"

"This is not Mr. Tesla, it's…him," his name choked up in her throat and a new flow of tears ran down her cheeks.

Wembly put a comforting hand on her shoulder and softly cooed.

"I'm sorry Madam, but whoever he is…this is not him," he gently lifted the sheet for her to see his head.

Her mouth gaped open and her brow scrunched together.

"But I…"

"It was late, it was dark, are you one hundred percent sure this wasn't the man you saw?" Wembly looked deep into her eyes as he spoke.

She blinked slightly then slumped.

"I-I don't know," she muttered.

"You've experience a great fright, I suggest you take the day off, go home, get some rest, drink a glass of brandy and right your thoughts," Wembly smiled and patted her shoulder.

"He was an old man, it was his time," Helen added.

The woman looked over at Helen with a look Helen couldn't place.

"I'm sorry," the maid shook her head. "For a moment there you reminded me of…someone…I can't place it."

Helen stepped back.

"I just have one of those faces I guess," she shrugged.

"It wasn't your face…it was…" she gasped. "You!"

Helen gave a confused face.

"I think you have me confused with someone else, Manager!" Helen called. "Please take her home, get her some brandy."

The Manager nodded.

"Come on Mrs. Monaghan, let these good people do their jobs," the Manager took her by the arms and began pulling her away.

"You! You ruined my life!" she screamed. "What have you done with him? You murderer!"

"She's delirious!" cried one of the maids.

"She's grief-struck! Get her down to the break room and get her some water, all this crying has probably made her dehydrated!"

"Mrs. Monaghan, please!"

"You witch! Bring him back!" sobbed the woman.

Helen and Wembly quickly darted to the lift with Nikola in tow, closing the doors and silencing the screams.

Helen let out a long breath.

"Well, that was interesting…what was that anyways?" asked Wembly.

"You're telling me," Helen sighed. "I do remember…it's nothing," she shook her head and looked down at the sheet-covered form lying dead still. She rested her hand on his arm. "Oh Nikola, what were you up to?"

_**~~~~Portsmouth, Post D-Day~~~~**_

Nikola poured out two glasses of wine and cradled one of them in his left hand as he leisurely leant back in his chair, crossing his long legs.

War was exhausting.

He took a generous sip and sighed. He checked his watch. She should be back any moment now.

It had been a long day, simultaneously saving the war, surviving off of chamomile tea, catching a traitor, coming up with an interesting formula for improving fuel efficiency in planes, and only on a half bottle of wine, he was genuinely impressed with himself.

Of course, finding out his assistant was also a Nazi sympathizer had put a slight damper on his day; he was sure to bring that up with Helen when she arrived. She almost cost them the whole war by getting rid of his gorgeous secretary and replacing it with that American louse.

He growled slightly. He had really started the like that kid, how dare he be charming!

Nikola took another sip of wine.

He looked up at the peaceful skies overhead through the large window. Any moment now…

_**~~~~Somewhere over Europe~~~~**_

Helen looked out of the small plane window to the sleepy countryside below. There was something in the air, something that told her the worst of this war was behind them. With the landing at Normany proving to be successful and the weather machine back in their care Helen knew Hitler was reaching his last legs before he would cripple, and boy did it ever feel good.

James sat beside her fiddling with his chest machine. He grumbled to himself as he carefully calibrated each dial and knob to it's specified setting.

Helen watched him for a moment.

"John really did a number on you, didn't he?" she sighed.

"He had to make it look convincing…or at least that was the excuse he gave," James muttered as he carefully tuned a dial into place. "But mark me if he didn't enjoy it just a tad."

"Fifty years doesn't change much in a man," she sighed.

"So it would seem," he hissed. His anger towards John was still seething just below the surface. Helen knew that it was not just because of her, he had seen John's betrayal as a slight on all of them, even Tesla. What John had done and what he continues to do, was let his selfish feelings take over his humanity. In ther process he had hurt the woman he claimed to love, his best friend, his goof companion and his greatest rival. James sighed, lord knows Tesla may have been justified, but for John to be so thoughtless to the people he had once addressed as friends. It burned a little.

Helen patted his arm comfortingly as he sat back letting his machine readjust itself to it's proper functioning order.

"It's funny," James scoffed. "John thought you and I were…"

"Together?" Helen filled in. "Really?"

"The man sees any sort of attraction as some kind of passion," James sighed. "I love you my dear, but as a companion."

Helen laughed.

"Isn't that how all this trouble started? Him mistaking friendliness for fornication," she rolled her eyes. "All this jealousy from him I really should be flattered."

"But he is right, you know, you seem different. He just made the mistake of thinking it was because of me," James looked at her with deep probing eyes.

"What are you insinuating, James?" Helen huffed.

"Don't treat me like a fool. I have always known who it was that came between you and John all those years ago, who continues to come between you and everyone else," James grasped her hand tightly. "I don't pretend to understand the depth of your relationship, I just happen to notice how your mood changes when he's around."

"Like what?" she growled.

"Irritability, for one," he teased. "Tesla gets under everyone's skin but especially yours," James grinned. "Like that stunt you pulled before we left, with the secretaries."

Helen laughed.

"That was good wasn't it," she smiled proudly to herself.

"And I haven't mentioned it but I did happen to notice your new accessory," he lifted up her wrist, revealing the bracelet. "Looks like a Tesla original."

"We're not sleeping together again, I swear," Helen confessed. "Nikola has just made a point of being my safety net in case this mission didn't go well."

"Could you imagine how things would've gone down if he'd come along with us?" laughed James. "John would've blown a gasket."

"Lets hope he believes Nikola is dead just like the rest of the world," sighed Helen.

"Yes, and while we're at it, let's make sure that Nikola actually knows where he stands before…"

"Yes," Helen looked at him stiffly.

"Before there are any rings involved," James said carefully.

"That was a long time ago," Helen sighed. "And it was mutual, both the beginning and the end."

James sighed.

"Just make sure," he said firmly.

Helen bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from saying anything offensive to her old friend. She nodded and looked outside the window once again.

She did not need any reminder of her and Nikola's sordid past together, she was full aware of the mistakes and bad situations that it had led to. Honestly this time she felt they had moved past it, what with her practically jumping him and he outright declining it. He had moved on from her, and she had definitely moved on from him.

He eyes darted down to the bracelet around her wrist. Something in her twinged a bit looking at it.

"Helen," James warned. "No rings."

Helen gave him a look, more like a scowl.

"Yes, no rings."

_**~~~~New York, 1943~~~~**_

The first gasp of air was painful, like he hadn't used his lungs in years and there were cobwebs lining the inside of his trachea. The light was blinding, almost sheer white; he could only make out a few faint figures. The sound; it was like a radio that had been turned off for too long and the first click of the on switch was just loud high-pitched ringing.

The second breath was easier and his vision began to steady out though the sound was still foggy.

Damn, he was freezing. He could feel the tremors in his arms and legs, wriggling up his torso and chattering his teeth.

Then she was there, focusing into his sights, as beautiful as ever.

"H-He-" his throat was not working to make more than that.

Her hand wrapped around his and in a single moment everything righted itself; her voice breaking through in crystal clear clarity.

"It's okay, I've got you."

He took in another deep breath, his body still shaking from the cold.

"I-I'm so…so c-cold," he choked out.

"I know, it's ok," her hand felt so warm in his hand that he brought it up to his face.

"Wh-where?"

"County coroner, to be autopsied," Helen smiled at him.

"Am I?"

"Dead? Yes, well, technically," Helen smirked. She reached over and pulled a thick wool blanket over his form. He was almost naked aside from a pair of white, rather crisp feeling shorts.

With a bit of effort she managed to sit him up and hold him steady as he regained equilibrium.

"How do you feel?" she asked, flashing a light into his eyes.

He groaned and pushed the light away.

"Blinded, thank you," he blinked several times to adjust his vision again. He shivered. "Why is it so cold?"

"Your body is going to need some time to heat up, your internal furnace is shot," she held up a glass with a strange liquid inside. "Drink this."

Nikola looked at it skeptically.

"What is it?" he sniffed it and scrunched his face up at the pungent odor.

"It'll help, drink it," she ordered.

"No," he said stubbornly.

She pinched his arm tightly and he yelped.

"Drink it," she snarled.

"Ok fine," he whined and shot back the entire glass in one go, swallowing it quickly.

He choked it down and stuck his tongue out in disgust. He pulled the blanket around him tighter.

"How'd it go?" he asked after a moment.

"Good, not too many issues, you were discovered earlier than we'd have liked, apparently one of the maid's heard you gasp your dying breath and came into check on you," Helen shrugged. "But we were ready so it was no problem. Fake photos were released just this morning about your deathbed. You look positively grave and senile."

Nikola chuckled.

"Did you get my package?" he asked.

"What package?"

Nikola's face dropped. Helen laughed.

"Of course I did," she went over to the desk and picked it up. "You did kind of leave it out for me to find."

Nikola frowned at her.

"Give it here, have to make sure it's all there and accounted for," he sighed pulling the bow off the top off the lid and throwing the lid carelessly to the side.

His eyes widened as the contents of the box were revealed to him and he began fishing through the few trinkets and papers that were inside.

"No, no, where is it?" he muttered. "Where is it?"

He took the box from Helen and searched through it even more frantically.

"It can't be…I put it in…I know I did…it was…" he put it down, his breath quickening with panic.

"Nikola what is it? What's missing?" she asked.

"It's got to be…it was in here, I know it was!" he barked.

Helen put a hand on his shoulder.

"Nikola, what was it?" she asked and he looked up at her with something in his eyes she couldn't quite place.

"It was," his eyes darted down to her hands then back up again as he choked back a ragged swallow. "It's nothing…it's gone. Must've fallen out or something."

He sighed, looking away almost a little heartbroken.

"Nikola, is it something we can replace?" she asked softly.

"No, no it was…it was priceless one of a kind, very sentimental," he shook his head. "I…I'll live," he waved it off but she knew it was more than that, made her all the more curious to know what it was.

"I could go to the hotel and look for it," she suggested.

"Forget about it," he sighed. "It was just a trinket, it's probably in the hands of the FBI now, or some greedy maid."

Helen bit her lip at the thought, remembering the clearly distraught maid in the hallway.

Nikola tugged the blanket around him again.

"Is it possible to get some tea?" he asked, shivering.

"I'll go make you some," Helen patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

"And Helen…"

"Yes, Nikola?"

"Thanks for killing me, I…uh, really appreciate it," he tried his best to hide the small hint of a smirk from his face.

"Any time," she teased with a grin heading out of the chilly autopsy room.

It was at that moment Nikola realized he had been sitting on a tray for the cooler that held probably more than a few actually dead people in it. It was enough motivation for him to stand on shaky legs and move away from it. His eyes fell back on the box where he had set it down.

He sighed sadly as he fiddled with the few articles inside.

Where was it? Where was it?

_**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**_

Counting down the chapters. 58 down, 2 to go. I'll be ending it at sixty, a good round number.

I hope you'll enjoy what i've gotten written for the final arc of this story. Almost done. Nearly two years in the making, can you believe it's been that long. Phew. Tel me what you think, and hey for fun, what would you like to see in the final chapter of the Troublemakers? Give me your requests and I'll see what I can do.


	59. Forever and Always (4)

**Chapter 59 – Forever and Always (Part 3)**

_**~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~**_

The wine glass still sat on the desk, untouched. Nikola had finished off the rest of the bottle and had now moved on to tea, it was truly piss water, but he had a dire need for something warm.

A full year and his body still wasn't used to the cold, at least now it had reduced itself to brief periods of feeling chilled.

When he was in France it had been different. The cool air complimented his low temperture, and the constant distraction and lovemaking had kept him busy enough. That and Jeannette constantly made him coffee, and provided him with cigarettes. Luxuries they did not afford him in England.

It was about that time that Helen waltzed into his lab with a triumphant arm gesture.

"Don't look so smug," he scoffed. "You were not the sole savior of the day, in fact without me you'd be in some Nazi prison being interrogated by the Gestapo."

"We almost were," Helen laughed, going over to the desk and picking up the glass of wine Nikola had poured for her.

"Yes, but because of me this whole D-Day operation would've been a complete bust…no thanks to you," he growled, sitting in his chair and crossing his legs. "If you would've kept your nose out of my affairs you wouldn't have put a traitor between me and Eisenhower."

"You're seriously blaming me," Helen scoffed. "Because of your secretary."

"Yes, you could've left well enough alone but instead you let your jealousy get the best of you and almost cost us the war, nice going Dr. Magnus," he teased.

"Jealousy!" Helen chirped.

"Yes, frankly you've been jealous of me since I rejected you in the back of that cargo plane, let it go Helen," joked with a wide grin.

Oh, he was infuriating.

"You were working weren't you?" Helen tried to shift the conversation back a bit.

"Yes, with a Nazi sympathizer, jeesh Helen you'd think these people would have better background checks on the people they trust with important information, now Hitler may know that I'm alive and working for you, my life could be in danger."

"Oh please," Helen rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, there will be Nazi's at my window any day now!

"You're being paranoid," Helen groaned and chugged back more of her wine.

"Not to mention Druitt, I'm sure he'd love to hear that news. What's the genocidal maniac up to now, eating children?"

"That's completely out of line!"

"What do you expect me to think Helen? I'm stuck here with traitors all around and I get the message that Druitt is playing "Mein Herr" up there with you, and you expect me not to be uspet. He could've easily have hurt as help you. The man has tried to kill you before, what do you think has changed?"

Helen was silenced by his rant, but not for the reasons he would think. For the first time in a long time she was hearing what he was saying in between the lines.

"At least I could've protected you and James instead of having to sit here, confessing all my inner thoughts to a Nazi in red, white, and blue!" Nikola grabbed her wine and finished off the rest of it. "There! I've said it!"

Helen's lips curled into a smile.

"What?" Nikola scowled at her, thinking she was about to tease him with some sort of quip. She just stepped up to him and took the empty glass out of his hand.

"You know, John thought James and I were together," she teased.

"Oh, well isn't that just the cherry on top of the crap cake," he groaned.

"Which is ridiculous, as you know…but James did note that there was something…odd going on," she was close now, and his face had dropped slightly at the look in her eyes.

Nikola's hands slid up her arms to hold her firmly. He was fighting with himself, on one hand he wanted nothing more to pull her to him and kiss the life out of her for being safe, for scaring him, for returning; on the other hand…

Helen leaned closer but he immediately stiffened and pushed her away slightly, his hands not leaving her arms.

"Helen," he sighed. She was toying with his mind again, and since the last time he was not eager to relive the experience. "This never ends well."

Helen smiled softly.

"Who says it has to mean anything?" she asked, her eyes dark and unreadable.

"Because…it's us," he chuckled and finally dropped his arms. "We're…complicated."

Helen nodded and sighed.

"You're probably right," she leaned up and kissed his cheek before maneuvering around him to sit on his desk.

Without hesitation he pulled another bottle of wine from his collection and popped the cork, refilling the empty glass and taking another sip.

"I'm flattered that you were worried though," she smirked, watching him drink down the wine as a way to distract himself from yet again rejecting her advances.

"Druitt is a Nazi. Not always the most comforting news to ever hear," he shrugged and handed her the glass.

She took a sip as well.

"I would've come for you…if all didn't work out. To hell with Eisenhower!" he gestured grandly with his hand as he turned and sat on the edge of the desk with her. "I'm trapped here."

Helen watched him carefully; he was in a mood.

"Even with the war practically won they'll never just let me go. I'm a liability; a vampire, I reek of national security. They probably have some cage deep in some bunker somewhere they plan to keep me in after all of this is done."

"Nikola, what are you thinking?" Helen put the glass down.

"Doing what I do best, as always," he grinned at her. "Running."

Helen put a hand on his shoulder.

"You can't!" she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I can still help the war effort but I can't stay here and wait for them to carter me off to my own personal Alcatraz, except without the view," groaned Nikola. "Helen, do me this one favor, help me get out of Portsmouth."

_**~~~~New York, 1943~~~~**_

Midnight. The streets were dark and quiet near the harbor as compared to the ever-awake inner city.

The car rolled over the paved streets of Manhattan, on it's way to the river's edge. It slowed and stopped by the curb and the door opened.

"This is where we stop," Helen muttered looking over at Nikola. He was thoroughly wrapped up in his warmest clothes. It was January but even then the temperatures were mild, but Nikola's body still seemed to be on the fritz and even in this minor weather he felt chilled to the bone.

"We can't drive the rest of the way," Nikola grimaced.

"Oh, right, why didn't I think of that," Helen muttered sarcastically. "No, we can't."

"Where are we going?" he muttered.

"I have a friend, owns a ship, he specializes in smuggling in rather illegal goods. Alcohol, tea, monsters," Helen said nonchalantly. "Tonight he is smuggling you…to England, from there you can go anywhere you please and be anyone you want."

"That's great and all, but I still don't understand why we are walking," Nikola muttered against the cold.

"Discretion Nikola, he doesn't really have a docking permit," she stopped and pulled the cover off a manhole. "This should get us there without being seen."

Nikola flinched at the wonderful smell wafting up from the manhole cover.

"You have got to be kidding me," he groaned.

"Do you want to get out of here or not?" she snapped.

"If it means going through there I'd much rather stay in the autopsy," he hissed.

"That can be arranged," Helen bit through clenched teeth. "Just get d0wn there," she huffed.

He sneered but made his way down the grimy ladder none-the-less.

After a few minutes they were traversing in the tunnels underneath the city. Nikola held his handkerchief to his face with a grimace. Helen did near the same with her jacket sleeve.

"This is intolerable," her muttered through gritted teeth.

"Wasn't my idea," Helen growled in response.

"The morgue was more pleasant than this," he complained.

"One more word and I'll happily put you back there for good," Helen threatened.

"I'm starting to think you orchestrated this just to torture me!" Nikola stopped and glared at her.

"For what purpose?" Helen cried.

"Spite!" Nikola barked.

"Oh yes, because I love trudging through dank sewers for a good old laugh," Helen glared at him.

"Who was going to notice a car driving to the harbor? Wouldn't the big ass ship be more obvious?" Nikola's arms flailed wildly as he spoke.

"He has a boat! The ship is anchored off-shore!" she spat.

"Oh really? Or perhaps you'll just have me swim there!" he growled stepping up nose to nose with her.

"The thought had crossed my mind," her words were biting and her eyes never left his.

Suddenly they both met in a ferocious kiss that lasted no more than a few seconds as they pulled away so fast it was impossible to know if she had pushed him or away or if he had backed off himself.

"What was that?" Helen gasped breathlessly.

"I don't know," Nikola shook his head, running his hand through his hair.

Without another word they met again, this time more purposefully as arms wound around each other, grabbing clothing to bring them as close.

"You infuriate me," Helen growled, jumping into his arms and wounding her legs about his wait.

"No, you infuriate me," he growled half-heartedly, resting her back against the sewer wall. It was a relatively new system so the walls weren't nearly as grimy as they could've been, and this one was connected to the water, so the smell wasn't nearly what it could've been. Neither of these seemed to come to mind though, as they ferociously kissed each other in the dank darkness.

Finally the need for air overcame them and they pulled apart, both inhaling the foul air of the sewer.

It burned their nostrils and clogged their lungs.

"Helen," Nikola coughed. "We're in a sewer," he said as if he just noticed.

"We are," Helen said tensely.

They once again pulled away from each other quickly. Helen regaining her footing as Nikola sought to straighten his frumpled clothing.

"What are we doing?" Helen sighed.

"I don't know," Nikola chuckled. "I guess…"

"You guess what?" Helen said more sharply than she'd intended.

"All I'm saying is…we both know that when I get on that boat we're probably never going to see each other again," he looked at her with a sense of bleak honesty. "Maybe I just want you to have something to remember me by."

Helen chuckled slightly.

"I will have plenty more than having a quickie with you in a sewer," she sighed, straightening her jacket.

"You have to admit though, it's pretty original," he smirked widely. "Reminds me of our little excursion in London back at Christmas."

Helen glared and tried to hide her smile.

"The spies were a pleasant surprise," she laughed.

"I know, and so were the temporal adjustments," Nikola snickered. "Never doubt my genius."

"I never do," she shook her head.

"So…shall we continue along," he cleared his throat slightly as he straightened to full height and continued walking.

"Vampire's first," Helen sighed.

_**~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~**_

It was quiet tonight, deathly quiet. First one in many nights. Nothing was in the sky, no clouds, no moon, no bomber planes. It was peaceful.

The young soldier marched from one end of his post to the other at the front gates, whistling a faint but familiar tune with his hands shoved deep inside his pockets to protect him from the cold.

It was November now, it meant the nights were chillier and the days were shorter.

Suddenly a sound broke the soldier out of his concentration, coming from just behind the doors.

"Psst!" it whispered again.

He looked over at it with confusion.

"Psst!" it whispered even more loudly.

"Who's there?" asked the soldier.

"I brought you some brandy for the cold," whispered the voice.

"Who are you?" asked the soldier.

"Corporal O'Brien, East Corridor, day shift," said the voice. "Come on, a sip of brandy will warm you right up."

The soldier looked around cautiously before slowly stalking over to the door.

"We shouldn't be drinking on duty," he whispered.

"Come on, one sip won't kill you, just to reawaken the senses, makes you sharper, more alert," whispered the voice. "Kneel down! Do you want somebody to see you?"

The soldier shook his head and kneeled down towards the door, his head at eye level to the doorknob.

A hand came from behind the door with a flask.

"Sure is cold tonight," he whispered conversationally.

"You're telling me, and it's getting colder every day," the soldier took the flask appreciatively in his cold shaky fingers.

"What's you're name there son?" asked the voice.

"Corporal Sean Dannings, sir," the young man said.

"Nice to meet you, Sean Dannings. Sorry for having to do this," said the voice.

"What?"

Before he could register the door shot out quickly colliding the knob with the side of his head and knocking him unconscious. The mysterious hand reached out and pulled him inside.

A few minutes later Nikola and Helen emerged. Nikola was dressed in the young soldier's uniform.

"Well, that was easy," Nikola muttered.

"A little unnecessary," Helen added.

"But it worked," Nikola shrugged.

"That poor kid, he'll probably be reneged to kitchen duty for this," Helen shook her head.

"It was your idea," Nikola muttered.

In his hand he held his one suitcase and in the other his autotype.

They went to the small car lot and climbed inside the nearest car.

"This should take us past the border," said Helen, she handed him some forged papers.

"Us? Oh no no no, it's just me from this point on," Nikola said firmly.

"Nikola, I'm coming with you," Helen said firmly.

"You can't," he said just as stern. "If you come with me then they'll know you helped me escape...at least this way they'll just think I made the get away on my own. Helen, do not throw away your reputation and standing for me."

He cupped her face to give her the best kiss he could manage under the circumstances.

"Now get out," he whispered, pushing her out of the car.

"Nikola!" Helen cried.

"I will message you with my location once it's safe, but for now just trust me on this Helen, it's best if we split up."

Helen growled and grabbed him by his tie and yanked him to her one last time to kiss him. It was much stronger than his had been, laced with the understanding that she was probably going to screw him the next time she saw him.

"You better or so help me…"

He chuckled.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he winked and pecked her one last time. "No go, before someone sees you helping me and you get court marshaled."

Helen frowned but got out of the car and began to walk back inside the building.

She looked back once to see him smiling and waving through the window of the car before driving, quite maniacally, right out into the night.

She was so going to make him pay for this.

**~~~~Author's Notes~~~~**

One more chapter to go, it's rather frightening isn't it. I think i've come up with a good little ending. A lot of you want something to do with the ring and I think I can deliver but it won't be anything you'd expect. Muahaha! But of course it will involve some Tesleny goodness.

Enjoy!


	60. Forever and Always (THE END)

**Chapter 60 - Forever and Always (5)**

_**~~~~New York 1943~~~~**_

The walk in the sewer was quiet. The silence was awkward and tense, just twinging at the edges with something more. Helen's eyes kept darting over to Nikola, watching him as his brow scrunched with thought as they trudged along the narrow pathway to the river entrance.

They hadn't spoken a word since their brief snog just a few cliques back. Helen knew Nikola was feeling rather embarrassed about it. Or maybe she was, they weren't supposed to keep doing this. It frustrated her how easy it was to forget it all and just go back into his arms, she blamed Egypt for that, Egypt made her associate his arms with some place warm ad safe, and warm though they are, they were definitely not the safest. Those arms caused trouble, going into them would cause more.

A few more minutes of silent walking and she could here the water.

Nikola stopped, as if frozen.

"What is it, Nikola?" Helen asked.

He didn't look at her, nor did he answer her right away.

"This is it," he muttered. "We've reached the water."

Helen felt her heart sink a little at his tone.

"Yes, yes it is," she sighed.

"Come with me," he turned to her suddenly.

"What?" Helen blinked at his sudden change.

"This boat will take us to England…and maybe from there we could…we could…" the words fell out of his mouth and died in the air right in front of her.

"We can't," Helen shook her head. "We've tried this before, Nikola, what do you think will change?"

"Helen, I've been alone my entire life and this…this is condemning me to spending the rest of it just as lonely…I'm just making the choice…to not be lonely anymore," he sighed. "Come with me…just get on that boat with me, you said it yourself we're getting too old for this world. Helen Magnus and Nikola Tesla. Let's both go into hiding for a couple of years, travel the world, you know, not worry about everyone else for a change. Come with me."

His offer did sound awfully nice, but she knew that with the war going on that she couldn't, this dream was just that, a dream.

"Nikola, I know what you're trying to say, but this deal was not for the both of us, I can't just disappear out of the blue. There is a war and I have a duty to perform and going with you now…it'd be running away from it and that is something I refuse to do," Helen sighed. She put a hand to his chest to push him away from her slightly but he caught it in his tightly.

"No, Helen, you are running away from me, and that is something I can't let you do," he pulled her to him. "I've tried so hard not to want you anymore, tried so hard to move on but I keep coming back to you and how I carelessly threw you away out of fear," Nikola looked deeply into her eyes as he spoke.

"Well, its too late now," she sighed.

"Is it? Please Helen, I'm not the only one who feels this…pull…every time I'm near you," he squeezed her hand tightly. "I've felt it ever since we first met."

"Doesn't mean its love," Helen tried to yank her hand out of his.

"It doesn't have to be, I'm not saying that, just…come with me, Helen, let's figure this out…because if I have to spend the rest of my life apart from you, it better be for a damn good reason."

Helen finally released her hand from his grip and stepped away from him.

"What do you want from me, Nikola? You had your chance, you changed your mind, you can't all of the sudden claim that you want things to be different!" she cried. "I don't deny there has always been an attraction between us, but you have chosen your road and I've chosen mine. Just leave it at that!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?!"

"Because I cannot shake the feeling that we are meant to be together…in some way Helen we're…you and I are going to be the last ones standing when everyone else is gone. It has always been us, before the five, before John, before Egypt. We were together in the beginning and we will be together in the end!"

Nikola sucked in a deep breath, the rant knocking most of the fight out of him.

Helen couldn't help but feel like her own oxygen had been taken out of her lungs.

The pause was tense, and their eyes never left each other as they panted.

"I want a child," Helen blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Nikola gasped.

"You know, one day in the future, when the world has calmed down and this war is over, I would like to have a child Nikola," she looked him straight in the eye and her heart fluttered at the confession.

"Well, I can do that for you, come with me Helen, I can protect you and the child," he pleaded.

"We froze John's embryo from all those years ago…"

"I don't care, have his child, I can still look after the pair of you, I can still be there for you," he took a step towards her.

"No. You are exactly the reason why I am staying on this island and you are getting on that boat!" Helen let a tear slip loose. "Dammit Nikola! You are on the run, you are going into hiding, what kind of place for a child is that?"

"You are going to war, you work with monsters and abnormals, what kind of place for a child is that?" he countered bitterly.

"That is not the point and you know it!" she barked. "The point is that you attract trouble, and you always will, and you will put more people in danger than you can ever protect them from."

"If you want me out of your life just say it!" he barked.

"Fine! I am tired of you Nikola Tesla, is that what you want to hear? I am tired of worrying and fretting over you, tired of having to clean up your mess, tired of looking out the window and hoping you're doing all right, I'm tired of your blasted pull!" she fumed.

"Then I guess it's best for both of us if I leave then," Nikola's eyes went downcast and he turned and kept walking.

His response knocked a bucket of ice deep into her gut.

She watched him walk ahead of her, head down and shoulder's slumped, his footsteps were angry sounding against the wet stone.

A feeling of guilt washed over her heavily. She hadn't meant to say that…she shouldn't have said that.

_**~~~~Triton Manor, 1944~~~~**_

Nikola stood at the window over looking the drive to the withered and dreary estate. The Novemeber weather was settling in and coating the grounds with a layer of frost and the grey sky just added to the bleakness of the entire view.

A painting of Rose hung just his left on the wall of the study he had come to call his own. He had never stayed here long but it was always there for him when he needed it. It was a safe haven, even though it's staff had cut down from 20 or so to barely five.

A slight clatter brought him out of his ruminations.

"Your tea sir," said Walter Dunby. "We had some black stored in the pantry."

"Excellent Dunby," Nikola smiled at the old butler and caretaker of the estate.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" offered the old man.

"No, nothing," Nikola smiled warmly and returned his gaze back out the window.

"I'm sure she'll come, Mr. Tesla," said the old man encouragingly.

"I hope so," Nikola muttered.

"Well, holler if you need me, I'll be in the library…dusting," Dunby smiled and wearily hobbled on his ancient legs out of the study.

Nikola never understood why the man didn't just sit down and read. He was over eighty and still managed the entire manor. The groundskeeper took care of the grass and he dogs, but everything inside the walls of the once impressive home was under the feeble man's care.

Nikola went over to the tray and picked up the cup of tea, taking a generous sip and letting the warm liquid run down to his stomach warming his entire body.

In less than a minute he had chugged the entire cup down and had put the cup back on the tray and returned to his place in front of the window.

He was going to stand here until she…a car was coming up the drive. His heart leapt into his throat. It was her, she was here!

He tore out of the study and down the stairs to the front foyer and out the door just in time to meet the car as it came to a stop at the front steps.

She was barely out of the door when he caught her, his arms coming to her hips.

"You came," he said breathlessly.

Helen turned in his arms and smiled at him.

"I told you I would," she cupped his cheek.

"I just thought…"

"I had to take the long route…couldn't risk anyone following me. Eisenhower's been tearing up a storm looking for you," Helen pulled out of his embrace to retrieve her bag from the back of the car. "I never imagined you'd be in a place like this."

"I inherited it," he shrugged with a grin.

"Some familial story you haven't told me about?" she teased.

"A baroness actually, she was rather fond of me," he chuckled.

"I wonder why," Helen closed the car door and offered him her hand. He took it without hesitation and led her inside.

"Where's the staff?" she asked.

"It's just Dunby and the groundskeeper now," Nikola closed the front door behind them and offered to take her coat.

She handed it to him effortlessly and put her bag on the floor.

"I hope the trip wasn't too stressful," he continued.

"Oh no, traffic was good, not much to see, a little foggy but…"

She was cut off by him cupping her face and kissing her with all he had, as much passion as he could muster being poured into ever touch of his lips against hers. His arms wound around her waist and she easily jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his hips, relying on his strength to keep her upright.

He broke the kiss with a gasp, his face just barely a few millimeters from hers.

"Hi," he whispered haughtily.

"Hi," she smiled widely, bringing her lips down to slide over his again. Her hands slid to grasp the hair at the back of his head while one of his hands came down to grasp one of her thighs gently to keep her body from slipping. They smiled at each other for a good long moment before leaning down and kissing again.

Before she could comprehend he was walking them up the stairs, lip-locked and steady.

She had missed this, this tender, passionate side to Nikola. The lover, not the boy or the vampire, but the pure unadulterated lover whose only happiness was to have his arms around his beloved.

"Where are you taking me?" she pulled away with a husky whisper. He grinned down at her.

"I'll give you the tour later," he replied, carrying her up the stairs, past several doors, all the way down the corridor into a fairly well sized bedroom.

"You've been waiting for me, haven't you?" Helen smirked, seeing the evidence of all his meticulous preparation.

Nikola smiled.

"Only a little bit," he chuckled, kicking the door closed.

_**~~~~London 1942~~~~**_

A bullet whizzed past Nikola's ear as he followed Helen down the winding alleys and streets of downtown London.

"Have I told you how much I love this place," he called the her. Her arm sprung back with a loaded weapon in her hand. He ducked and she fired the weapon at their pursuers. He straightened up, sensing her indirect anger. "How was I supposed to know they'd follow me?"

Helen slowed and grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into another alley.

"They think you work for Nikola Tesla, of course they'd follow you!" she growled, firing her weapon once again.

"Well the jokes on them isn't it," he sneered.

She fired her weapon again. "Move!"

Helen dragged him into an even narrower crevice, pushing him into the shadows and covering his mouth with her hand.

Several men ran past them, their footsteps sloshing against the wet cobblestone streets all the way into the distance.

When their trails faded she stepped out and back into the alley.

"For the record, you are an idiot," she muttered.

"So I didn't lose them as well as I thought I did, seriously, you can't blame me for this," he threw his hands up in defense.

"Well I do," she glared at him.

He sighed and opened the cloth bag that was slung over his shoulder.

"I did bring you a present," he sighed. "I was hoping I'd have a bit more time to show you, it's only a working prototype, but I think it will give us an advantage." He pulled a strange device out of the bag that looked like a glorified watch. "I have a friend, a good friend, a genius in their own right, helped me come up with this."

He slipped it on his wrist.

"What is it?" Helen asked him, her senses were still on high alert in case any of the agents were to turn around and come back.

"It's actually quite fascinating…"

"There they are!" a voice cried.

"Tell me later," Helen shushed him and began to try to push him out of the alley, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him tightly.

"Just a second," he muttered, adjusting a dial on the watch.

"Nikola, what are you doing?" she cried.

"Just a little bit longer…"

"They are going to catch us!" she writhed against him, trying to back him up. "This better work or so help me…"

"Now!"

The watch flashed and it was if the world froze around them.

"Who did you say your friend was?" Helen gasped.

"Ever heard of antimatter?" asked Nikola.

"What?"

"Let's just say he and I figured out a way to stun time and space and shield ourselves enough to move around in it for approximately 3o seconds," Nikola grabbed her hand and began pulling her out of the alley.

"You froze space and time?" Helen cried.

"In relative terms, it's hard to explain, and I don't really understand it myself I just built the electro-shield," he pulled her into another alley. "That's what happens when an electrical genius and an antimatter genius spend a weekend together in a lab."

Helen gaped as he led her around.

"He asked me to test it," Nikola concluded. "Surprise, it worked!"

Helen's awe burned away into anger.

"You didn't know if it was going to work!" she barked.

"There was a slight possibility…"

"What?!"

"I said slight!"

Suddenly like a wave time caught unfroze and both he and Helen felt it in their guts.

They stopped running and Helen clutched her stomach.

"Oh my," she groaned.

"That would be the effects of using such a device," Nikola doubled over, placing his head between his knees and began to breathe deeply.

"What the hell is this?" Helen groaned.

"He called them temporal adjustments, they're just our body's feeling the effects of moving unnaturally within space," he groaned as well, his back fell against the wall of the building.

"Will they feel it too?" asked Helen.

He shook his head.

"Nope, they will continue as normal, they were frozen just like the rest of them," Nikola lifted his head up.

"Then maybe we should get out of plain sight," Helen shakily grabbed him by the shoulder to lead him into another back alley, deep into the shadows. They stumbled clumsily and a bit drunkenly into a nook. Nikola inadvertently lost his balance and pinned her against the wall. Helen grunted and swatted him, but bit her lip to stay quiet as suddenly they could hear the fast approach of one of the agents.

Nikola straightened up to full height and looked down at her. She could just make him out in the dark, but she knew he was looking at her and for some reason could tell what he was thinking. It may have been his hands on her waist or his change in breathing that did it, but she grabbed his cravat and pulled him down to her, their lips meeting in a brief soft kiss.

"Helen," Nikola pulled back immediately.

His voice caught the ear of the oncoming agent and Helen acted quickly, pulling Nikola back to her in a furious kiss. She hoped against hope that the man would just think they were a promiscuous couple sharing a midnight embrace, but just in case, she slid her hands down to Nikola's belt where his gun was. It was his own design, using his electrical ability to create almost a kind of stun weapon, that immobilized but didn't kill. It wasn't as practical as bullets were, because it had to cool down between blasts, but it would work for now.

Nikola responded whole-heartedly, catching on pretty quickly that Helen had something other than him on her mind at the moment, but he relished in playing the part. Kissing her soundly, pressing his body closer to hers. The stonewall jabbed into her back, and one of her own hands came to grasp the back of his head as he continued his assault on her lips.

"Hey, you two," the agent turned down the alley.

They promptly ignored him.

"Hey!" he called again.

Nikola's hands slid up her waist, resting just over her ribs, hoisting her up slightly. One of her legs wrapped around his hip to keep her steady, a hand coming to her thigh to hold her there. If she didn't know better she would've guessed he was enjoying this by the way he minutely groaned in the back of his throat. She bit his lip gently with a smirk, enjoying the way the growl grew. He pulled away and immediately switched over to her neck. Giving Helen a good sight-line to the oncoming attacker.

He took out his weapon.

"FBI!" the man pulled out his badge, shining the flashlight on them. "Freeze!"

Nikola had his face well hid in the crook of her neck.

Helen looked up at the agent and smiled sweetly.

"Hello officer, problem?"

In the flash of an eye she fired the weapon, illuminating the alley with a brilliant blue flash. The man was unconscious instantly.

Nikola stepped back, releasing his hold on her and immediately picking up the man's gun and his badge, just in case.

"Good shot," he muttered.

"Luckily, someone had their weapon digging into my hip," she teased.

He chuckled and stood up, handing her the gun in exchange for his and tucking the badge into his vest pocket.

"Someone was bound to have heard that," he muttered, grasping her hand once again. "Come this way."

He led her to the back of the alley where there was a wall dividing the alley from another.

Nikola grabbed Helen by her hips and hoisted her high enough so she could grab the top of the wall and pull herself up.

"You got it?" he asked.

"Yeah," she grunted.

He backed up and transformed into his vampiric form before jumping against the side of the building and using the momentum to propel him up wards.

He reached down to her with a human hand to help her to her feet.

"Show off," she scoffed, taking his hand anyways.

"I'm trying to impress you, is it working?" he teased.

She glared at him.

With her hand in his he tugged her along the wall and onto one of the roofs. They hid themselves just in time as the rest of the agents ran into the alley and found their fallen comrade.

They were lying flat against the roof, feet stirruped into the eaves, his arm protectively sprawled across her chest to prevent her from slipping. Her hair was in his face, and her hand was tickling his knee, but he managed to ignore both sensation as shouting was heard from the alley.

"Where'd they go?"

"Find them!"

Nikola suppressed a giggle as they ran out of the alley back into their car and drove away.

His head rested back as he sucked in a deep breath of air. Helen also let out a sigh of relief.

"This is the last time I help you, I swear," she growled.

He chuckled, rolling completely on his back to look at the stars.

Helen did the same, more or less to keep herself from slipping off the roof.

"What happened back there?" Nikola's voice cut through the silence.

"In simplest terms I saved your ass once again," Helen teased.

He laughed good-naturedly.

"I mean before that…when you kissed me," he looked over at her. The starlight twinkled in his eyes.

"I kissed you as a ruse…so that agent wouldn't think it was us," she hoped that was a good enough answer for him.

"No, before that, when you _kissed_ me," he said carefully, his face absolutely serious.

"I don't know," Helen heard herself whispering.

He rolled on to his side and all too soon his face was too close.

"Nikola," her hand met his shoulder. "We should…go…while there's time."

He hesitated, his mind mulling it over for a brief second before he pulled away.

"Of course," he shifted off the roof and back on to the wall, spreading his arms wide with a flourish, giving her a wink, before gracefully leaping off the wall and landing on the ground on the other side of the wall.

Helen gave him a look.

Now he was blatantly showing off.

He spread his arms palm up.

"Come on, I'll catch you," he said with a glint in his eyes. Something about that glint made it very hard to trust him.

She bit her lip and sighed jumping down into his arms.

He grinned widely at her as he held her.

"Look what I caught, can I keep her?" he teased.

"No," she wiggled out of his arms and back on to her feet. "Can we just get you back to America, back to all your toys, so that we can fix the mess you've put yourself in."

"Hey, I did not put myself in any mess," Helen shot him a look. "The mess just seemed to form itself around me," he finished sheepishly.

"Oh yah, because life works that way," Helen rolled her eyes.

"Yeesh you get grumpy when you're turned on," he muttered and she flew back and punched him in the face.

"It was a ruse!" she barked.

Nikola clutched his nose.

"Ow!" he cried.

"Now move!" she bellowed, turning on her heel and marching down the street.

Nikola cracked his nose back in place and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe it clean.

"You broke my nose," he whimpered.

"You had it coming," Helen seethed. The early morning dawn would be arriving soon and they needed to get to the harbor before then.

There was a car parked on the street. Helen pulled out a hairpin and unlocked it, scooting inside. Nikola followed suit.

"Start it," she ordered.

It was Nikola's turn to give her a look. Without a word he extended a finger and stuck the tip of it in the ignition, sending a spark straight down to the engine, the car roaring to life.

"Happy?" he said slyly.

"Only if it burnt your finger," Helen said snidely.

He pulled his finger out of the ignition and waggled it in front of her to show her it wasn't.

They arrived at the harbor and bribed themselves onto the boat using the fake FBI badge Nikola had stolen from the agent. Soon they were in the middle of the Atlantic looking out at a calm ocean under a moonlit sky.

Helen had her arms wrapped around her. No matter what season she always got chilled while on a boat. Nikola was off somewhere she supposed, probably looting or bribing the cook to let him get into the wine.

They were off to America without money, without extra clothes, and with very few bullets. Nikola promised to buy her a few more outfits once they arrived but that left her with a muddy skirt and torn nylons for the time being. She shivered once again, the wind going through her bones.

Suddenly a jacket was placed over her shoulder, and without looking at the generous donor she pulled it tighter around her, enveloping herself in the warmth.

"Where'd you run off to?" she didn't have to turn around to know it was Nikola. His jacket held that distinct smell.

"Just making sure no one followed us on board," Nikola came up to her side and rested his hands on the railing. "You looked cold."

"I've never been on a boat the same since…well you know," she shrugged.

"Yes, I do," he chuckled and looked down, not meeting her eye.

"Are you not cold?" she asked.

"Vampire, remember?" he looked up with a grin.

"Right," she chuckled. "Thanks."

"It's nothing," he shrugged, his eyes finally meeting hers. "I'm sorry for…for dragging you into this again."

"It's all right, Nikola," she sighed. "By the time they catch up you'll be dead and their investigation will be over. No more spies."

"You'd think with this war going on they'd have better things to do," he joked.

"On the off chance that you won't destroy the world with a laser…"

"It's not a laser…and if anyone had actually read the proposal instead of getting carried away with the whole "Death Ray" thing they would've seen that the plan was rather ingenious," he huffed stubbornly.

"I'm sure, but on the other hand do you really want the dolts in your government really having that much power," she teased, bumping him slightly.

"I guess you have a point," he sighed. "I had no idea they would come after me…they think I'm Tesla's gofer."

"Even gofer's know secrets," she sighed. "Maybe you should've let them catch you and interrogate instead of killing yourself."

"That probably would've been easier…but no…it's time. I'm tired of playing Tesla," he sighed. "The secrets, the covers…it's done."

Helen smiled at him.

"And what will you do with your new found freedom?" Helen turned to him coyly.

"I don't know, travel, spend some time in France maybe…before the German's destroy it, try to find someone to spend my time with," he looked over at her.

"Nikola," Helen warned.

"Don't worry Helen, I didn't mean you," he chuckled. "No…I'm too old for that."

Helen knew he meant it as a joke but the way it hit her made her heart sink into her gut.

"I thought you'd always be young at heart," Helen teased half-heartedly.

"And I am, just there's some things I haven't the stamina to pursue any more."

"Like me," Helen's heart sank a little more.

"Yes," he said softly, his eyes avoiding her gaze.

Helen pulled his jacket tighter around her, suddenly feeling a tad colder.

"Here," Nikola sighed, moving to stand behind her, his warm hands resting on her arms. He rubbed her arms up and down, creating warmth from the friction. "You should go inside."

Helen shook her head.

"The smell of tobacco makes me dizzy," she sighed.

"Then at least put the coat on," he chuckled softly, gently lifting one of her arms and directing it into the jacket sleeve.

"Thank you," she smiled warmly at him. She leaned against him as he did the same to her other arm. When he moved to stand away from her she grabbed his arms and pulled them around her, enveloping herself with his strong body.

"Helen…"

"Shh, don't think too much on it, just enjoy it," she sighed.

Nikola subsequently pursed his lips and nestled her closer to him.

"You really are cold aren't you," he whispered, his head resting close to her ear.

"Shhh, stop talking," she muttered, closing her eyes. This reminded her so much of their younger days before sex and lust complicated every thing. She imagined he was that young Serbian man she had met feeding breadcrumbs to the pigeons in the park; who made a slingshot for her out of sticks and a rubber strap. The one she used to playfully run around the great library with him in hot pursuit and let him catch her just so she could be close to him. The one she would read poetry by firelight to, with him all nestled amongst her petticoats, innocently just enjoying the feel of her hand caressing his scalp in lazy circles with her nails. It was impossible to recount who had changed first, or what the defining moment was that changed their relationship from the innocence of friends to this…whatever this was. Nikola, out of any man, knew her most intimately. John had been her first in many respects, but Nikola was her constant. The world would wither and he'd be there, she could change and he'd be there, and if she gave him any inclination he would always be there, right by her side…like this.

That's why she turned her head just slightly to the left and pressed her lips against the skin she found there.

Nikola's whole body went rigid at the contact.

She rested hers hand on his, gently soothing back to relaxing as she continued to kiss his neck. He couldn't have let go even if he wanted to. Helen felt him grab her hand and entwine it with his, his hand desperate to grasp on to something. He ducked his head down and captured her lips with hers. Her free hand slithered behind his head to keep him from escaping.

There was nothing behind this kiss, no abject lust or hidden desire. They were both caught up in a memory. No hands wandered, no advantages were pressed. The only caresses were from the wind.

The kisses were soft and sweet, and their gentility was enough to make Helen's heart finally break. The salty taste mingled on her tongue and lips and he subsequently kissed them away. He brought his free hand over to cup her cheek, his thumb gently rubbing the tears off her cheeks.

He made a heart wrenching sound as he broke the kiss, pulling away, resting his forehead against hers.

"I…I can't," he choked. "I can't do this anymore."

Helen nodded against him, not daring to open her eyes to look at him, knowing she would shatter.

"I know," she barely managed to whisper out.

"I'm not strong enough," he nuzzled his face against hers, his breath coming out in a shudder.

The pure earnestness in his voice made the simple statement seem almost like a confession.

Their hands were still intertwined against her waist. For the longest moment they just stood there holding each other. The early morning sun dawned on them, brightening the sky. At some point Helen closed her eyes and fell asleep against his cheek.

Nikola looked down and smiled, scooping her up into his arms. He carried her into the hold into the guest quarters and gently slipped her into the bottom cot, careful not to bonk her head on the steel fastenings or wooden frame.

He brought the blanket around her, tucking her in.

He sighed looking down at her. He sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulder's heavily slumped and his arms resting on his knees.

He would never be free of her this way, if she could easily bring him back to her with just a small look.

It didn't mean anything; it was just a moment where they both could pretend that life had turned out a bit different. He held her like she was his lover, and this was the last sunrise they would ever share. He let his mind wander back to the old days when it was just the two of them. He would give it all up to be there again.

He looked down at her sleeping soundly and fixed a stray curl, running a finger across her cheek. He tentatively leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, careful not to wake her. He just wanted to pretend for a few more minutes.

She stirred and he moved away, not wanting her to wake up with him looming over her. He went over to the small desk and picked up a small flask from it, unscrewing the lid.

Oh, the times he wished alcohol worked on him. He would like nothing better than to drink away the memories of what could've been.

It was times like this that he needed something stronger than him.

_**~~~~New York, 1943~~~~**_

Helen was string at the back of Nikola's skull. He hadn't spoken a word since their fight and the silence was eating her.

This was possibly the last time she was ever going to see him and she couldn't spend it with him hating her. She had been too harsh. They were constants. Both their gifts due to the source blood had made them two unique figures in the world. While John, James and Nigel would eventually wither she and Nikola would always be. Through everything, through all their disagreements and fights he was always there for better or worse.

They kept making the same mistakes that kept separating them. Their darn "pull" as he called it, something always kept dragging them back together after all their hardships and failed romances, she always wound up backing his arms somehow. But as strong as their pull was they couldn't help but repel each other when they got too close.

It was a give and take relationship. He'd give all he had and she'd take what she wanted, then they wouldn't speak to each other for a decade or so, then it would start all over again and it all began with her, every time. No wonder he was frustrated with he, she had done nothing but confuse him time and time again for the past 50 years.

She could just see the light of the exit at the end of the tunnel. This would be it, he would sail away to god knows where and she would always wonder if there was anything she could've done that would've changed this moment.

"Nikola, wait!" the words left her mouth before she could squelch them.

He stopped, not turning around.

Helen opened her mouth to say something, anything, but everything was paralyzed.

He kept waiting.

"I…" she choked on her words. "I don't want it to end like this."

He finally turned to her, his eyes red with anger and his fists clenched.

"Make up your damn mind, Helen," he growled menacingly.

"I am. I'm not going with you, but I don't want our last moment together to be one of hatred," Helen sighed. "We are still friends."

Nikola scoffed.

"We are anything but friends," he glared right into her very soul.

Before she could ask him to clarify he stepped up to her and kissed her so demandingly it paralyzed her all over again.

He held her firmly as he pulled away.

"This is what we are," he shook her slightly; his violence nearly frightened her.

"And that is?" she asked, not leaving his gaze.

He answered with another kiss, softer than the first one, his grip on her arms loosening as his lips slipped over hers. She felt him about to pull away again and she instinctively shot her hands to grasp her head and hold him to her tightly as she kissed him back. For a few moments they lost each other in the feel of kissing each other.

Nikola left her lips to kiss her neck, sweetly, affectionately, possessively, and she clutched the back of hid head wantonly, wanting him closer. Helen pressed a kiss to the back of his ear and he groaned, his whole body stilling.

"Run away with me," was his almost silent whispered plea.

A tear slipped down her cheek at the pure desperation in his entire body. His voice, his lips, his hands clutching her sides.

"No," she answered him and he sighed defeatedly.

He pulled away.

"Then this is it," stepped away, reigning himself back in. "Go!"

She sucked back her tears to seem stronger than she felt.

"You go your way and I'll go mine and don't you dare look back or I'll know you made a mistake," he said harshly.

"Nikola…"

"Just go!" he barked. "And don't come looking for me until you have a damned good reason to," he growled.

Helen grabbed his flailing arm and pulled him into a rough hug.

"You are a pestilent, idiotic, child!" she cried holding him tightly despite how he thrashed to get out of her embrace. "And you are my closest friend," she added softly.

He relaxed into her at that.

"And no matter what happens to us nothing will ever change that," she whispered to him, pressing a soft kiss into the side of his head. "Remember that."

He sighed, resting his head on her shoulder as she gently soothed him.

"I'll write," she said playfully and he choked a laugh into the fabric of her jacket.

"I'll be there if you ever need me," he whispered back. "But you won't need me."

Helen backed away, looking into his eyes. He'd said something like that before to her, she felt it. He smiled softly, caressed her cheek, then kissed her one last time before turning and heading to the tunnel exit.

"This won't be the last time," Helen called to him. "We'll meet again."

"Sure it is," he muttered and kept walking, not meeting her gaze.

That made her heart sink a little.

Helen sucked all her determination and turned, marching out of the sewer with all the strength left in her, daring herself not to look back.

Nikola climbed down the small ladder from the tunnel to the awaiting boat.

"You must be Nikola," muttered the sailor.

"Yes," Nikola pulled out an envelope from his vest pocket, handing it to him. "That's from Helen."

"Much obliged," the sailor moved to pick up the oars for the boat but Nikola stalled him.

"Wait, that won't be necessary," Nikola shook his head. "I won't be coming with you."

"But Helen…"

"Helen decided I was getting on this boat but I have other plans," Nikola said calmly. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I slipped an extra thousand in that envelope to buy your silence."

"What about Helen?"

"I think it's best she thought I carried out her plan, don't you think?" Nikola checked his watch. "That should be enough time, unless she's really heartsick over me, which I doubt."

He smiled and picked up his bags again.

"Goodbye, and remember I sailed with you to England, kept pretty much to myself, annoyed the captain, drank too much wine, and left without saying a word, she'll believe it," Nikola began climbing up the ladder again.

"Where are you going?" the man asked.

"I have extended living arrangements at an old estate, I only came here so I could lose Helen," Nikola smirked.

"Isn't she the one who is supposed to be helping you?" the man looked even more puzzled than before.

"Yes, but sometimes it's the ones who care about you the most you have to hide from," Nikola sighed. "I don't want her to find me, whether or not you tell her I came on this boat."

With that Nikola waved at the sailor and climbed back in the tunnel. He retraced his steps leading back to the manhole they had entered, carefully making sure Helen was not there waiting for him. The street was empty, save for an empty car sitting across the street.

Nikola smiled and climbed out of the sewer entrance. He replaced the lid and went over to the car. He dropped his bags and dipped his hand under the fender until he found what he was looking for. An envelope. Inside was a key and a small message.

_Tea will be ready for you when you arrive,_

_Dunby_

Nikola grinned, unlocking the trunk of the car and sticking his bags inside. Helen may have planned his death to a T, but Nikola had planned his afterlife all by himself.

_**~~~~Triton Manor, 1944~~~~**_

Nikola reached down lazily for the half glass of wine sitting beside his bed. With an expert hand he grabbed it by the bowl and carefully lifted it up, not spilling a drop. He almost had it to his lips when a long slender, feminine hand grabbed it for herself and took a generous sip from it.

"Thank you darling, I was parched," Helen sighed teasingly, licking her lips and handing the empty wine glass back to him.

He scowled at her from over his shoulder.

"That was mine," he mumbled, putting the glass back down on the floor.

Nikola was laying belly down on the bed, his head smooshed into the pillows and lying directly on top of him, draped over him like a blanket was a sated and incredibly naked Helen Magnus.

His arms shifted so he could rest his hand underneath the pillows, supporting his head while Helen lazily dropped a kiss on his shoulder blade.

"I've forgotten how nice it is just to lay in bed," Helen muttered against his skin.

"It be nicer if the wine bottle wasn't just out of reach," Nikola grumbled.

Helen chuckled, taking the opportunity to sink her teeth into the meatier flesh of his back that made him hiss slightly.

"I've been wanting to do this since…since Paris," he muttered.

"What the first time or the last time?" she asked jokingly.

"The last time," he eyed her out of his peripheral vision. "Jeannette got me into a bad habit of staying in bed for days, literally, she'd tie me and feed me by hand every few hours."

Helen rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to recount all your exploits with the French floozy, because if you are I can find another room."

"Oh come on, Helen. You were always the better shag," he teased, reaching his hand from under his head to grab hers and bring it to his lips to lavish it with kisses. "She was just a little more experimental."

Helen laughed.

"Which isn't always better, but it leads to a lot of nostalgic memories," he continued to his her fingers.

"But I was better," Helen smirked.

"Pure talent wise, yes," he smirked against her.

"You're not so bad yourself…I mean James was a bit more robust, but…"

"Oh please don't tell me you and he…" Nikola groaned and Helen laughed and shook her head.

"Never, I'm only kidding," she teased. She pressed a wet kiss to his neck. "I didn't sleep with all of the members of the five, thank you."

"You never know, I was gone for a few decades, maybe you got lonely," he turned slightly to look at her better.

"Oh I wasn't chaste all those years," Helen teased with a sinful glint in her eyes. "I just went elsewhere for my pleasures then turning to the men closest to me."

Nikola growled possessively.

"You should've called, I would've been happy to quell the urges," he grinned.

"More often than not it was you who caused them," Helen teased.

Nikola groaned and turned over completely grabbing her in his arms and kissing her soundly.

She took the hint and straddled his waist, still keeping their lips connected.

"I love the thought of you getting hot and bothered by me," he teased, his lips sliding down to her neck.

"I'm sure it never stopped you," she licked the shell of his ear slightly

"Oh, I would not waste a fantasy of you on some other woman," he grinned. "I like to keep you all to myself."

Helen grinned and cupped his face, pulling his head to look at her.

His eyes were aflame with unbridled lust mixed with love and adoration that just made her heart melt. She pressed a tender kiss to his lips, sharing a piece of the love she had for him in the sweet connection of their lips. It was all he could not to pull her to him and deepen the embrace.

The kiss steadily built in intensity as her hands began clawing for him, raking down his chest.

In a quick move he flipped them over so her was looming over top of her. He pulled back and smiled.

"As much as I'd love to go another round with you," he sighed, kissing the tip of her nose. "I have a train to catch."

His body left hers, leaving her bereft and rather chilled.

Helen sat up, watching him pick up the wine bottle from the floor and take a swig from as he searched for his clothes.

"You're leaving so soon," she asked, hating herself for sounding so childish.

"I have to," he sighed. "I'm on the run as it were, and the new owners of Triton Manor will be here tomorrow to hand the money off to good old Mr. Dunby so that he can retire."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Into hiding," he answered cryptically, slipping on his shorts.

"Will you write?" she asked again.

"I believe you know the answer to that one Helen," he smiled sadly.

She laughed weakly.

"Yes," she averted gaze.

"I had arranged this so that I could see you one last time before I disappeared," he stepped to her. "I could never leave without it."

He leant down and kissed her again.

"What was that you said to me once?" he chuckled. "Ah, yes, we'll meet again."

Helen smiled up at him and reached up to grasp his head and pulled him down for another soul-searing kiss. If he wasn't strong in his resolve he would've blown his plans to the winds and made love to her till dawn broke but he was on a schedule.

He pulled back, however reluctantly.

"Really, Helen, I must go," he grabbed his pants off the floor and threw them on.

"Are you sure we don't have just a little more time," she slithered on to her stomach seductively.

"Helen, do you think I'd be rushing around like this if we did," he teased. "I would stay in bed with you for a week if I could, unfortunately I did not make a timeline for this kind of circumstance."

"Why not?" Helen teased.

"Because, honestly…I didn't know you'd be this…horny," he smirked. "It's like you haven't had it in over a decade."

Helen smirked slightly and a hint of red tinged her cheeks.

"I just miss you is all," she sighed.

"Well maybe when I am settled down and the world has calmed down a bit I'll send you a message," he was almost fully clothed at this point. "Maybe we can meet…maybe in Rome."

Helen seemed to smile inwardly at that.

"That sounds lovely."

"Now, I've got to go, Dunby will see you out when you're ready. By tomorrow this whole estate will be upturned," he sighed pulling up his two full suitcases.

"My train leaves in an hour," he looked at her, still in her naked state and groaned.

He trotted back to her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her briefly on the lips. "This is goodbye." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to each of her breasts. "And this is I'll miss you."

Helen brought his head back up to give him a proper good bye kiss which he leaned into wholeheartedly.

"I'll miss you too," she whispered and he grinned once again before leaving her embrace and rushing out of the room. Any longer and he'd never leave.

Helen sighed, looking at the space he just vacated for a long time, feeling the emptiness of not having him with her instantly.

She was chilled all of the sudden and she looked around for something to cover herself up with. She smiled when she saw one of his shirts lying abandoned on the floor. She picked it up and sniffed it…it still smelt like him. She deeply inhaled the sent and felt a bit of warmth return to her. She slipped it one and walked to the window, just catching the car as it drove into the foggy night. He was gone.

She sighed again, pulling her wild and unruly hair back into a ponytail. The shirt enveloped her like a hug and she wrapped her arms around herself happily. At least she had a memento…well truthfully she had more than just this shirt.

She pulled her purse open and fished around until she found what she was looking for. She clenched it in her fist as she went over to the abandoned wine glass and poured herself another glass of wine as well as finding her underwear and slipping it on. Once she was comfortable enough she returned to the window and placed her glass down on the ledge as she admired the object in her hand.

He was going to hate her for this, but she just couldn't live with the consequences of risking her other counterpart coming here. It didn't happen before, and honestly when she received the letter it all made perfect sense. She had been sneaking around, subtly helping the war effort, like she was when she helped him escape, but she was mistaken for…well, herself actually and the letter wound up in her hands, from him, beckoning her to come and see him. Well, that was it. She was screwing their relationship for the near future, but in the long haul she knew this would lead to their happy eternity. It wouldn't be easy…pretending that nothing had changed…but when her plan came completely into action that's when she'd tell him, everything, he'd just have to wait.

She smiled at the thought of that moment. It made every thing worthwhile.

With a loving gaze she slipped the ring on her finger and admired it in the starlight.

"Forever and Always."

_**~~~~Elsewhere, Portsmouth~~~~**_

The army truck pulled into the American War Headquarters with a noisy screech.

Helen groaned and stepped out of the back of the vehicle, an equally as tired and worn James crawling out behind her.

"I hate war," she muttered.

Their plane had to make an emergency landing due to damage sustained by enemy fire. With the skies clouded by Germans they had to crawl, camp, and run to the next safe point where they took a car and then a boat to finally reach the British Isles, and only know were making it home after the most exhausting back roads trip through most of northern Europe. Helen was exhausted, tired, a little motion sick, and she smelt. She wanted, tea, a bath, and to sleep for a week.

James was kind enough to carry their luggage, which was no more than Nikola's autotype machine and James' weather machine. He and Nikola could play with those while she got started on that tea.

"Madam Magnus," a soldier ran up to her.

"Doctor," she corrected.

"Eisenhower demands to see you immediately," the soldier continued.

Helen groaned.

"What now? Can't it wait?"

"Unfortunately not sir, it's about the Professor," said the soldier.

"What has he done now? Did he blow something up?" Helen rolled her eyes.

"No Ma'am, he's escaped," said the soldier.

"What?" Helen's eyes snapped to attention. "When?"

"About a week ago, Ma'am."

"And I'm just hearing about this now?" she cried.

"There was no way to get a message to you, plus Eisenhower was half-sure you helped him with it."

Helen growled.

"I will kill him! I will honestly kill him this time," she barked.

"Eisenhower only suspected you because of the note."

"What note?" Helen looked at him with a sharp scrutiny.

"The note he left for you Ma'am."

Without another word she tore past the soldier into the building, pas all the other soldiers and pencil pushers roaming through the halls to his lab. There on his desk was a wine glass with a message inside labeled "Helen".

She marched over to it and picked the note out and flipped it open.

_We'll meet again._

That's all it said?!

She flipped if over, checking every last inch. That was seriously all he had left for her. Three simple, meaningless words and a shitload of trouble she'd have to clean up after.

In her anger she picked up the wineglass and flung it against the wall, the shattering glass making a satisfying sound.

She would never forgive him for this. EVER!

_**~~~~Triton Manor~~~~**_

It was dawn now, the sun was just peaking overtop the mountains casting a pinky hue across the world.

Walter Dunby led her out to her car, carrying one of her totes in his elderly arm, she had told him he needn't bother but he had persisted, hearing none of it.

It was sad that she would have to say goodbye to this place, only just having become acquainted with it, but it would always bear pleasant memories of the brief time she shared inside it's walls.

She caught herself looking up at it and admiring its architecture.

"You coming, Miss," Dunby called her back to reality.

"Yes," she nodded. "Dunby…you've worked here all your adult life?"

"Mostly, I've been with the Triton's since I was a boy," he shrugged.

"What will you do now that it's gone?" she asked.

"I don't know…probably what I've always done, keep going on," he gave her a wry smile. "With the money I can certainly do a little bit of good before my lord takes me."

Helen smiled warmly at him.

"No wonder Nikola likes you," she chuckled. "You're just the sort of person he admires."

"And I admire him. He is certainly generous. Without him I would've lost this place years ago. "But if you don't mind me asking…I happened to notice the ring you're wearing."

Helen grinned. Nothing could get past this man.

"Yes," she looked at him with soft eyes.

"Are you Mr. Tesla's wife, or…"

She had to laugh at that.

"I'm not his wife. I'm just the woman that likes to come into his life and cause trouble for him," she smirked.

"Oh," he shrugged. "Sounds like you are his wife to me."

Another smiled tugged at her lips at his words.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

She looked down at her ring and smiled at it.

One day…and wouldn't that be just the most trouble of them all.

**The End.**

~~~~Author's Notes~~~~

Whew. It feels so good to put The End on the end of this fic, I was so excited I almost forgot it. I hope you guys like this. It's hard to finish a fic like this, because it certainly is not the end of their story as we all well know. A lot of you asked to see them in the future with the ring, but I wasn't all to keen on doing that, but I gave a little possibility that say, if there was a season 4, Helen would show it to him, they'd have a very steamy make out session, then start their relationship anew...at least that's what i'd like to pretend. Did you see that twist coming?

Sweet Dunby, Rose's little old butler returns, and for you guys i put as much feels between Nikola and Helen as I possibly could. The idea of it came from the thought of why Helen seemed so distrustful of him in Rome, even when he confessed he was in love with her. So, thought sneaky Timewarp!Helen gets her Nikola lovings. Real time Helen gets royally pissed that he has deserted her once again. And they will meet again, in Here We Meet Again, where she's still pissed at him, but still wants to jump his bones.

I hope to finish that one soon as well, though I'm not sure if I will complete Within Me Burning as it's not attracting much attention.

i'd like to thank everyone who has stuck around to finish this fic with me. You all are great and I hope this is the ending you were hoping for...okay so they're not entwined in a lover's embrace shouting to the high heavens and promising to be together forever...but this was a close second right?

Love, hugs, and Niko cookies to all who helped to make this fic what it is. 60 chapters, and a whopping 270,000 words. I pray I'll never rite this much again.

Thank you all again,

Geek :)


End file.
